Finding Unity in Diversity
Unity in diversity is the harmony that emerges when everyone’s cultural identity is honoured within a greater setting. Look out for our fantastic, limited, one-time offer to take part in a fully funded pilot program of
Diversity Atlas into schools and be one of the first schools to experience holistic data-driven unity in diversity! We also have a fully funded Year 8 Intercultural Citizenship Ambassador Programs (ICAP) for 2026.
Supporters are part of a global movement building harmony and wellbeing through intercultural understanding and we’re thrilled to offer you these opportunities.
In this edition of the newsletter, we also recap our participation at UNESCO on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of Diverse Cultural Expressions, introduce a brilliant new program, share highlights from master puppeteer Dalang Sumardi’s tour of Australia, and a post about the concept of unity in diversity and its mirror, diversity in unity, from international student Shadow Tsui. Finally, if you haven’t yet booked for NAIDOC Week book NOW to avoid missing out!
MARKING | Cultural Infusion and UNESCO at the 2005 Convention’s 20th Anniversary
As pro bono Secretariat for the Taskforce of Civil Society Observers of the
2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Cultural Infusion has been participating in this important Convention’s 20th Anniversary.
Peter Mousaferiadis delivered the Opening Address to the Fifth Civil Society Forum on 17 June 2025. Our Research & Partnerships Coordinator
Amna Ben Amara and Cultural Ambassador
Mario Chatzidamianos spoke for Cultural Infusion on 19 June 2025.
OPENING | Address to the Civil Society Forum
How do we ensure everyone’s cultural expressions are protected and promoted, rather than just those of a privileged few?
Peter Mousaferiadis gave the Opening Address to the Civil Society Forum at UNESCO on 17 June at the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Convention, for which he also oversaw the preparation of
Pre-Recommendations to UNESCO, Parties and CSOs. Final recommendations will be submitted to UNESCO next year.
"Today, we gather from across the globe to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the UNESCO 2005 Convention, and to renew our commitment to its principles and reaffirm the vital role that each of us plays in advancing the diversity of cultural expressions...
ATTENDING | Intervention at the 10th Conference of Parties to the 2005 Convention
Amna Ben Amara attended UNESCO for the 10th Conference of Parties to the 2005 Convention on 19 June 2025.
SPEAKING | Data that Reflects Cultural Richness
Listen to Mario Chatzidamianos speaking for Peter Mousaferiadis at the Fifth Civil Society Forum on 19 June on the necessity for data that accurately reflects the cultural richness of the world’s people.
ENDORSING | UNESCO’s commitment to cultural diversity is crucial.
At a time when cultural identities are increasingly under pressure, whether through conflict, politicisation, counter-politicisation, marginalisation or digital divides, we underlined how a data-driven approach to cultural diversity can help shape inclusive policies and initiatives so that no one is forgotten.
ANNOUNCING | Diversity Atlas for Schools
Thanks to a generous grant from the State Government of Victoria, world-leading cultural diversity data analytics platform
Diversity Atlas is now being adapted specifically for the education sector – and if you are a Victorian public school we are inviting your school to take part in the pilot at absolutely no cost to you!
Places are strictly limited so act fast to secure your school’s spot in this pilot!
Diversity Atlas for Schools enables educators, students and school leaders to explore the cultural diversity of their communities through an egalitarian guided process using
Diversity Atlas’s
democratised datasets that allow people to identify their precise cultural attributes, avoids bucketing people into overly broad, unscientific or outdated categories and reflects the complexity, multidimensionality and relationality of human identity. A sophisticated yet simple way to measure and map cultural identity across communities,
Diversity Atlas provides insights that help build respect and understanding, spark meaningful conversations, and facilitate inclusive school practices.
Don’t wait a minute! Register an expression of interest for your school now!
Read more about why Diversity Atlas matters for schools and how it works. Our aim is for every school in the world to adopt Diversity Atlas. Be one of the first!
Don’t your students deserve the best?
The result of more than 7 years of scientific and community research and development,
Diversity Atlas is trusted by leading global and local organisations, including
Amazon Web Services (which made sure we have the
highest privacy and security standards), Carers Victoria and Melbourne City Mission, which we recognised last year as our first Diversity Data Leaders
Diversity Atlas can be run on any group of people larger than 25 to uncover their collective and often hidden cultural composition. If you or someone you know is ready to discover the full diversity of their group and support ethical technology, why not get in touch with our team now for a free demo?
OFFERING | ICAP for Victorian Public Schools Year 8s
Our Intercultural Citizenship Ambassador Program (ICAP) is an 8-session series designed to address the General Capability of Intercultural Understanding in the Australian curriculum. ICAP equips young people with the skills required to navigate and lead in an increasingly globalised and diverse world, with a focus on cultivating important life skills such as critical and creative thinking and ethical understanding. Participating schools gain access to Diversity Atlas.
Together with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing’s Future Ready program, Cultural Infusion has developed a custom ICAP Program for Year 8s for 2025-26, led by expert facilitators and leaders, including Aboriginal Elders, community educators, cultural experts and teachers, who will guide activities to cultivate global perspectives, empathy and cultural awareness in our participants.
The program will culminate in a ‘Model Global Parliament’ event where students will share their knowledge, collaborate with peers from other schools, and step into the shoes of future leaders.
There are limited fully funded spots available for public schools in Victoria in the first intake. Don’t miss the chance for your school to be part of this fantastic program!
Please contact our Education and Experiences on 03 9412 6666 with any questions or register your interest now!
REPORTING | Pak Sumardi’s Tour of Australia
Sumardi is receiving rave reviews from his Australian tour. Here are two from students from Claremont College in New South Wales:
"I really enjoyed the show for many reasons. Firstly I found it engaging and entertaining to watch and I can imagine that others did too. I had a lot of fun watching the performance because it was humorous as well as following an interesting storyline that you wouldn’t see in other stories. Secondly it amazes me that one person can perform that all by himself. He acted each character with a different voice for each one and it made it easy to follow as well as playing music beneath the stand. The infants watched a different show, a shadow puppet show, and I can imagine them loving it and enjoying it just as much as the primary students enjoyed their wooden puppet show. After the show was over I got the privilege of being able to go behind and see how it all worked and even hold the puppets. My friend Hattie and I also got to ask Pak Sumardi a few questions. My favourite scene was probably when one character called Che-Put was talking to a character called Para-Hasta because it was very funny and made people laugh. In conclusion it was a fun cultural experience for all students to enjoy." – Scarlett, Year 6
Spoiler alert in this one:
"Personally I thought the show was a blast, it was a combination of Indonesian culture, humour and storytelling. The performance was about a princess named Sinta who gets kidnapped by an evil king called Para Hasta. Princess Sinta’s husband Prince Rama gets his younger brother, his white monkey warrior and two of his guards to go to the kingdom of Alanka to find his wife. Para Hasta’s monsters try to fight the people who come after Sinta. In the end Princess Sinta gets saved and they all live happily ever after. My favourite character was Che pot (one of Ramas guards) because of his fun energy and his innocence although don’t be fooled because he’s good in a fight. Thank you to Pak Sumardi for his amazing puppetry performance and to Bu Jill for organizing this spectacular incursion." – Hattie, Year 6
Book now for your chance to experience this master of his art!
COMMEMORATING | NAIDOC Week | 6-13 July
The Next Generation: Strength, Vision, and Legacy
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week is a fantastic opportunity to learn from and support the vitality of the original cultures of Australia. Our excellent programs help make NAIDOC Week one of our busiest weeks of the year. Keep reading for announcement and details of a new program!
The popular
Aboriginal Infusion educational program is available in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wale, Australia Capital Territory and Virtual, and the
Aboriginal Culture For A Day program is available in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales and Virtual, showcasing Aboriginal cultures through dance, symbolic art, yidaki (didgeridoo) and a wide range of other engaging activities, while our
Mini Aboriginal Cultural Day is perfect for early childhood audiences and is available in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
Students can learn traditional Aboriginal symbols from our First Nations presenters in our
Aboriginal Storytelling Through Art educational program, available in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales. This unique experience will give students the opportunity to create and share their own stories and is a perfect intercultural experience for any age!
Aboriginal Storytelling and Artefacts is available in New South Wales, Australia Capital Territory and Western Australia and combines storytelling with an introduction to the history of some Aboriginal tools and artefacts. Students will have the opportunity to act out stories and engage with cultural artefacts.
New Program Aboriginal Mural Creation
Tailored to Pre-Primary, Schools, Community & Corporate, this program is available in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
Work closely with an Aboriginal artist to create an Aboriginal-inspired mural together. The creative process starts with a Yarning Circle, where all participants gather to discuss and decide on the narrative for the artwork, before bringing it to life. Painted on a canvas, the completed mural can be displayed in an office, classroom or public space as a celebration of collective achievement.
Each participant will be awarded with a certificate of completion to acknowledge their contributions in completing this cultural art piece.
MARKING | NAIDOC Week competition
To mark NAIDOC Week, Cultural infusion is launching a competition. Take a photo or video of your Cultural Infusion experience during NAIDOC Week. Post it on Instagram tagging @CulturalInfusion using the hashtag #NAIDOCwithCulturalInfusion.
The best post (photos and/or videos) will win 20% off their next booking.
Book your NAIDOC program NOW to avoid missing out!
Don’t forget that you can book these programs all through the year. In fact, our presenters encourage booking outside NAIDOC Week.
BEING | Part of a Global Movement for Building Harmony and Wellbeing
Whether you are an active listener or donor or engaging with our products and services, your involvement with Cultural Infusion makes you part of a global movement dedicated to building a more inclusive and harmonious world through intercultural understanding via education, the arts, and ethical technology.
Cultural Infusion is proud to be an official Partner of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO and has been recognised by leading international bodies including the UN Alliance of Civilizations, UNESCO, and the UN World Food Programme.
As an Official Observer and Taskforce Secretariat for the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, we play an active role in shaping global dialogue on cultural diversity. We actively collaborate with international partners and share our research and thought leadership at major global forums.
Since 2010, we have presented at the World Forum for Intercultural Dialogue, the World Summit on Tolerance, numerous Diversity and Inclusion Conferences, the Council of Europe’s World Forum for Democracy, and most recently, a
keynote to more than 600 scientists in Macao.
Our work has been recognised through more than 15 international awards from organisations and governments around the world – a testament to the global impact we’re making in building inclusive, culturally vibrant societies.
- Ongoing professional development and training for our presenters
- Program delivery to regional and remote communities
- Investment in our Living Culture Program, supporting the preservation and celebration of cultural traditions
- Advocacy efforts for cultural diversity and inclusion on global platforms
- Research and development, pushing the boundaries of intercultural understanding and educational innovation
GIFTING | Learning Lands
Your reminder that everyone who books a program with us three months’ free access to our
Learning Lands suite of constantly updated intercultural education resources, comprising internationally award-winning apps, games and activities that integrate the arts, music, geography, history and Indigenous perspectives to put students at the forefront in intercultural competency.
FINDING | Unity in Diversity and Diversity in Unity
Cultural Infusion is lucky to host international students, who bring valuable expertise, enthusiasm and skills to the organisation on a regular basis, and some have contributed to
the blog. We pinched the title for this edition of the newsletter from Shadow Tsui’s thought-provoking piece about cultural diversity in Thailand and the concepts of unity in diversity and diversity in unity.
"Experiencing a new form of culture is an unusual opportunity for a citizen of Hong Kong…
As a history major and a Christian, I was encouraged by my church in Hong Kong to embark on a short Christian mission to Thailand, to spread the gospel and experience the multicultural environment.
Thailand’s culturally diverse nation is a harmonious society with a population composed of various ethnic groups, including Thai, Khmer, Malay, Bamar, Karen, Hmong, and Chinese.
Thailand is home to more than 70 languages, including 51 languages indigenous to Thailand. With such a rich background, I’m keen to visit Thailand and explore its amazing cultural environment...
HIGHLIGHTING | Calendar Spotlight: 24 July, Tanabata (Japanese Star Festival)
Tanabata is a Japanese Star Festival that originated from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It derives from the old Chinese legend of the two stars, Altair and Vega, that meet each other after being separated by the Milky Way. One famous Tanabata custom practised across Japan is to write a wish on a piece of colourful paper called tanzaku and hang it in a bamboo tree in the hopes that it will come true.
To honour the essence of this festival, we have various immersive programs available that celebrate authentic Japanese culture:
In addition, our
Japanese Infusion program (VIC, NSW, WA, Virtual) introduces students of all ages to Japanese culture through a mixture of song and dance, storytelling and art.
STAYING | Up to date
Interested in staying up to date and finding out more about our cultural initiatives?
Follow us on social media for the latest news and events.
