Honouring diversity, confronting racism and supporting mental health

What does belonging mean to you?  

For some people, belonging means having their identity, culture and religion respected. For others, it means being listened to or feeling like being part of a community. Viji, a member of our Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Lived Experience Group describes it as: “Being consulted, contributions are valued, and all are treated with dignity and respect. Noone is left out or alone.”  

It’s something I’ve been reflecting on this month as we acknowledge three important dates – Harmony Week from 16 to 22 March with the theme ‘Everyone Belongs’, as well as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia on 15 March, and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March.  

Together these dates remind us that belonging, dignity and safety can only be realised when we address racism in our systems, services, policies and everyday practices. This is essential for social cohesion and for the mental health and wellbeing of all communities. 

These conversations are especially relevant right now. Our social cohesion is being tested as we face global conflict and uncertainty, traumatic events like the Bondi terrorist attack, climate-related disasters, cost-of-living stress, and for some communities, increasing violence, racism and discrimination.   

Harmony Week offers us an opportunity to celebrate the diversity that shapes Australia and to value different cultural perspectives. When people feel seen, valued and able to express all parts of who they are, their mental health and wellbeing are supported. 

The International Day to Combat Islamophobia and the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination encourage each of us to reflect on the ongoing impact of racism on multicultural communities and on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Racism and discrimination can have significant impacts on mental health, contributing to stress, anxiety and trauma, so it’s crucial we address it, call it out and take action to prevent it. 

At Mental Health Australia, our vision is: ‘mentally healthy people and mentally healthy communities’. To achieve this, we need systems that support people from all cultural backgrounds. 

Our Embrace Multicultural Mental Health Project helps bring this vision to life. Embrace works with mental health and suicide prevention services to strengthen cultural responsiveness and improve accessibility. It also includes the Embrace Framework, a free self-paced tool designed to help services reflect on their practice and deliver more inclusive care. Importantly, the project is guided by a lived experience group to ensure its work reflects the strengths and needs of multicultural communities. 

Harmony Week and these important international days are more than dates in the calendar. They invite us to celebrate the diversity that enriches our communities and to stand firmly against racism. 

This week, and every week, Mental Health Australia is committed to working towards a fairer and more inclusive Australia where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and safety. 

Carolyn Nikoloski
CEO, Mental Health Australia