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A major exhibition commissioned by the Department of
Foreign Affairs and Trade to highlight Australia's
culturally diverse society was launched in Sydney today by
the Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard, MP.
The exhibition "Richness in Diversity: People of
Australia", which was developed by the Australian Museum on
behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, is to
undertake a tour of the region in 1998-99.
The exhibition's tour will start in the Philippines in
November 1998 where it will go on display as part of a major
festival Australia is holding there to mark the centenary of
Philippines independence. The festival, All the Best -from
Australia, is designed to promote the best Australia has to
offer in business, science, technology, education, culture
and sport and to encourage bilateral trade and investment.
The exhibition will then travel to Indonesia and Korea.
Later visits to Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong
(China) are also planned.
The exhibition projects Australia as a tolerant,
culturally diverse nation and highlights the contribution
which Australians from different backgrounds have made to
the social and economic development of Australia. Although
the exhibition features many of Australia's major migrant
communities, its primary focus is on people who have
migrated from the various countries where the exhibition is
to tour, and on indigenous Australians.
Major elements of the exhibition include a video
highlighting the cultural diversity of everyday Australia;
an interactive containing demographic material about migrant
and indigenous communities; a section on individuals from
diverse backgrounds who have made a major contribution to
Australian life; a video demonstrating the cultural
diversity of Australian educational institutions, including
interviews with overseas students; a section on Australia's
diverse ethnic and indigenous media, including a video from
the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA);
an interactive showcasing trade success stories, including
companies using people from different ethnic backgrounds to
access international markets; art by people of different
cultural backgrounds; and material about Government and
private sector initiatives relating to cultural
diversity.
The exhibition was commissioned by the Overseas Promotion
and Olympics Branch of the Department under its charter of
projecting abroad a contemporary image of Australia and
enhancing international awareness and understanding of
Australia in support of key foreign and trade interests. It
is one of four major exhibitions which are to be toured by
the Department as part of its ongoing program of promotional
and public affairs activities. The themes of the others are:
Australian scientific and technological achievements;
Aboriginal communities and the mining industry; and
Australia's sports lifestyle, products and services in the
lead-up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
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