The Walk in Harmony is a symbolic walk to The Dome that brings together Melbourne's multicultural communities to celebrate Australia's success as a diverse society and to promote social cohesion.
Departing from the Flemington Community Centre, the Walk follows the bike path to Telstra Dome, where participants will participate in pre-game activities before watching the match between Essendon and Port Adelaide.
The Walk in Harmony was established by Essendon as part of its Multicultural Program. It is also a part of the Australian Government's Living in Harmony program, which addresses issues of cultural, racial and religious intolerance by promoting respect, fairness, inclusion and a sense of belonging for everyone.
Almost 1000 people from various backgrounds completed the 4km walk from the Flemington Community Centre to the Dome last year. Essendon General Manager of Community and Media, Simon Matthews, expects crowds to be even greater this weekend prior to Essendon's Round 7 match, given the significance of the event.
""This has the capacity to grow into a really important event and it again highlights the role football can play in promoting social cohesion,"" Matthews said. ""It is something our playing group are very supportive of, in particular Bachar Houli and Andrew Welsh who have done a significant amount of work in the Flemington multicultural community over the past two years.
""We were really pleased to see so many Essendon supporters in attendance at the inaugural event last year and we hope those numbers will swell even further this year. I think Essendon supporters appreciate the work the club undertakes in the community and we certainly appreciate their support at important events such as this.""
Walk in Harmony activities commence at noon and there will be a range of events at the Community Centre in the lead up to the Walk which commences at 2pm. These include:
- Autograph and photo opportunities with Essendon players not partaking in the Round 7 game.
- Victoria Police expo (cars, helicopters, horses)
- Australian Federal Police expo (dog squad, forensics)
- Live entertainment and children's activities
The first 2000 participants on the day will receive a free Walk in Harmony t-shirt, entry to the game and return public transport.
