Powerful message at TCH’s Harmony Day celebration

IN honour of Harmony Day last week, Torquay Community House (TCH) dedicated this year’s celebration to remembering the 50 innocent victims who lost their lives in a terror attack against the Muslim faith in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15.

As part of cultural diversity week, TCH hosted an international lunch on March 21 with a series of inclusive entertainment acts from belly dancer, Eugena, and African drumming and dance group “Wild Moves”.

In her opening speech welcoming guests to the event, TCH co-ordinator Laura Connor acknowledged the Christchurch victims and expressed her deep sadness for New Zealand.

“What’s important for us to do as a community is to call out any hate speech,” she said.

“I’ve heard so many Muslims, who are such gentle souls, ask ‘why don’t they like us?’, ‘what is it about us that’s so hard to accept?’ This makes my heart ache.

“We need to keep Australia a place that is open, welcoming and embraces cultural diversity. The good thing now is that there is a dialogue – we are talking about extremists and questioning their acts.”

Shortly after, guests each lit a candle beneath a prayer from the Quran which read “we belong to God, and to God we shall return”.