Diversity Week 2008 - it's about you!
Monday 17 to Thursday 20 2008

Thank you to everyone who participated in and supported Diversity Week in March 2008.

The 2008 Diversity Week program included exhibitions, lectures, interactive workshops, and much more. Bright orange ribbons and colourful badges could also be seen on the lapels, shirts and bags of staff and students across the campus in support of diversity at the University of Melbourne.

* Steve Bracks, former Premier of Victoria, launches Diversity Week.
Mr Bracks chose one of his student-staff forums, organised through the Office of the Provost, to officially launch the Diversity Week 2008 celebrations.

Read the transcript of Mr Steve Bracks's Diversity Week launch speech
Download a copy of Mr Steve Brack's launch speech (pdf 43 KB)

* 'Perspectives in Diversity' competition - *winners announced*
Read the winning entries from the 2008 Perspectives in Diversity competition.

* Download a copy of Diversity in Action, a new publication by Equity & Diversity Planning
To celebrate Diversity Week, Equity & Diversity Planning produced a guide to diversity in the University community. This publication addresses the University's commitment to cultural diversity, the benefits of a diverse student and staff population and simple ways that members of the University community can celebrate diversity in their everyday lives.

Download the Diversity in Action publication (1054KB).

To order hardcopies of the publication, please contact Jill Barker.

* 'Supporting Diversity' Exhibition
The underground carpark beneath South Lawn was transformed into a gallery during Diversity Week. Organised by Claire O'Boyle (Student Engagement, Academic Enrichment Services) and Lynda Roberts (RMIT), the exhibition featured A0-sized black and white photos, each covering one of the 85 carpark columns with a giant portrait of a student or staff member.

The exhibition was inspired by the irregular columns in a mosque in Cordoba in Spain and, as designers Claire and Lynda reported, became "an expansive celebration of the university populace."

Download photos from the 'Supporting Diversity' Photographic Exhibition (3964KB).

* Melbourne Graduate School of Management
The University's Melbourne School of Graduate Management supported Diversity Week with a photographic exhibition (organised with the assistance of the Latin American Student Association).

Read about the Mexicanisimo exhibition (2029KB), held in the Alan Gilbert Building in March 2008.

* Melbourne University Overseas Student Society (MUOSS) celebrate Diversity Week
MUOSS used Diversity Week as an opportunity to kick off their celebrations for International Week, held in April 2008. Focusing on the theme "We are Different but the Same", MUOSS held a banner painting workshop in North Court. The final work, featuring the handprints and names of students from all backgrounds, was proudly displayed during the MUOSS Night Market.

If you have any further questions about Diversity Week, please contact 8344 0836 or email Leander in Equity & Diversity Planning.

Download a copy of the Diversity Week 2008 program (645KB).