Media Release 2
March 24, 2003

The 'Parra Youth Matters' (PYM) Youth Jury project is off and running following the Harmony Day event that were held in Parramatta Mall on the Thursday 20 March.

Hundreds of locals wore orange ribbons for Harmony Day, while enjoying free lunch and entertainment, and completing PYM community surveys and youth jury participation forms.Harmony Day falls on 21 March and coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

It is supported by hundreds of celebrations around the nation in which schools, councils and communities come together to celebrate cultural diversity and promote community harmony.

The festivities included a free BBQ provided by PYM and an Aboriginal welcome, with performances by Scott Simpkins Trio (Jazz Band), Sa Kabukiran (Filipino Dancers), Yuan Ji Dance (Blending Tai Chi + Martial Arts), and Latin Salsa Australia.

Harmony Day was an opportunity for the PYM team to inform the Parramatta community about the Youth Jury's objectives, as well as receive community input on cultural diversity in the local area.

For more information about what happened on Harmony Day including photos, see the Harmony Day page of the website.

What is Parra Youth Matters?

• Australia's first ever Youth Jury will be held in Parramatta in July, following a grant to the 'Parra Youth Matters' pilot project from the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affair's (DIMIA) 'Living in Harmony' Initiative;
• The 'Parra Youth Matters' Youth Jury will bring together 16-20 randomly selected young people (typically between 16 and 17 years of age) from the Parramatta Council area;
• It seeks to assess the impacts of ethnic and cultural diversity on the Parramatta;
• The 'Parra Youth Matters' project is being coordinated by a team of students who are being supported by The University of Sydney and Southern Cross University.

For more information or if you would like to get involved with the 'Parra Youth Matters' Youth Jury please call (02) 9351 3089 or send an email parrayouthmatters@student.usyd.edu.au . You can check out the progress of the 'Parra Youth Matters' project at www.parrayouthmatters.org.au

Media Contact: Lyn Carson 9351-3089 or l.carson@usyd.edu.au