A Celebration of Culture & Community at The Lakes College

The Lakes College community recently came together for our annual Multicultural Expo in celebration of Harmony Day, an event that continues to grow in both size and significance each year. As much as the event is a vibrant celebration of food, music and tradition, this year it has become something even more meaningful: a powerful reminder of the strength, diversity and unity within our community.

Families, students and staff generously shared their cultures through beautifully curated stalls, offering everything from traditional cuisine and dress to storytelling, performances and hands-on experiences. The atmosphere was joyful and welcoming, with students immersed in learning about the many cultures that make up our College.

Yet this year, the Expo carried a deeper sense of reflection.
In a time of global unrest and uncertainty, it was profoundly moving to see so many cultures represented, not in division, but in harmony. Our Principal, Nicole Gregory, spent time speaking with many families throughout the day, both those hosting stalls and those attending. These conversations highlighted just how connected our community is to events unfolding across the world. One particularly moving conversation was with an Iranian family within our College. They shared that they have family in Iran whom they had not been able to speak with for 20 days. Their only contact had been a brief six-minute phone call that was abruptly cut off. Despite this distressing uncertainty, they expressed deep gratitude for the safety and peace they feel here in Australia.

Their story was a powerful reminder that while our Expo is a celebration, it is also an opportunity to stand together in empathy and understanding.

As a Uniting Church school, we are grounded in values of compassion, inclusivity and care for one another. In moments like these, those values are not just spoken, they are lived. We hold this family, and all those impacted by conflict and uncertainty around the world, in our prayers and in our thoughts. The Multicultural Expo remains a cherished event in our College calendar, but this year it also became a moment of collective reflection, a reminder that our diversity is our strength, and our community is a place of belonging, support and hope.