At a time when the world feels unstable, the people of Greater Bendigo are being called upon to embrace the spirit of friendship this weekend.
Bendigo Community Health Services, the City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services and Believe in Bendigo are encouraging residents to celebrate the International Day of Friendship, which falls annually on July 30.
The United Nations International Day of Friendship was proclaimed with the ‘idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities’.
Greater Bendigo residents are being encouraged to:
- Talk to your neighbours or organise a street gathering
- Invite someone new to dinner
- Organise a catch up with a new family at a local playground
- Ask someone to go for walk
- Introduce friends to new people in your networks
- Come up with their own ideas about how to make people feel more welcome and connected
From Monday, you can also collect an ‘Everyone is Welcome’ #BendigoTogether sticker. The four local organisations have reproduced the popular stickers and are encouraging people to place them in visible locations (such as rubbish bins or windows) to generate and encourage conversations between friends and strangers.
Bendigo Community Health Services Refugee and Cultural Diversity team Senior Leader, Kaye Graves, says Bendigo is a welcoming city.
“The latest Census shows us that half of the number of people living in Australia had one parent born overseas or were born overseas themselves,” she said.
“We value this rich diversity and welcome all arriving from other countries to live in Australia.”
City of Greater Bendigo Mayor, Cr Andrea Metcalf, says the City of Greater Bendigo is proudly an accredited Welcoming City and encourages residents to display a balloon sticker.
“These stickers are a great initiative that allows residents to demonstrate Greater Bendigo as a caring community where everyone is welcome,” she said.
“Greater Bendigo’s population continues to grow and become more diverse. It’s important everyone knows there is a place for them here and displaying a sticker helps to reinforce that.”
The stickers are available from Bendigo Community Health Services, City of Greater Bendigo and Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services.