March 21 marks Harmony Day for 2011, and Australians have gathered at events nationwide to celebrate the country's rich diversity.
Communities are celebrating in events across the country with food, music and art from cultures around the world.
The continuing message for this year's Harmony Day is that Everyone Belongs, regardless of background. Today is also the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Harmony Day has grown in popularity in recent years, with some 25,000 events staged since the first celebration in 1999.
On March 1, Federal politicians took on soccer A-League and W-league players in the Harmony Game, aimed at promoting Harmony Day through the world's most played sport.
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Senator and Parliamentary Secretary Kate Lundy, said football was a great way to break down social barriers.
"The spirit of today is that soccer in Australia is the best platform for multiculturalism and what it is to celebrate a multicultural nation," she said.
The AFL, and Victorian universities, have marked Harmony Day with 5000 ticket giveaways to international students for the Melbourne-Brisbane game on April 24.
AFL General Manager, David Matthews, said the ticket giveaways offer a great opportunity for international students to experience AFL.
"Many of them would never have been to an AFL game before and we want them to come along and experience all the colour and excitment of Australian football," he said.
