Top honours for Friedlander’s Harmony Walk
A volunteer organisation that established a solidarity walk confronting racism and discrimination has received top honours at the 2017 Premier’s Harmony Dinner.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Ernie Friedlander, Jay Laga’aia and Stepan Kerkyasharian
Premier Gladys Berejiklian presented the Stepan Kerkyasharian AO Harmony Award to the Moving Forward Together Association at an event at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.
“The Moving Forward Together Association is run by volunteers who devote their lives to promoting fairness, harmony and respect, and the annual Harmony Walk brings people from all walks of life together in spirit of unity and solidarity,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I also congratulate all recipients of tonight’s Multicultural Community Medals for their dedicated work towards making our society more peaceful, tolerant and inclusive.”
Chair of the Association and Founder of the Harmony Walk Ernie Friedlandler is a Holocaust survivor who received an Order of Australia medal in 2006 for leading projects to confront racism.
The Moving Forward Together Association also manages a state-wide harmony poster and song competition which receives up to 6000 entries from NSW school students annually.
Minister for Multiculturalism Ray Williams said the Premier’s Harmony Dinner, now in its sixth year, is a celebration of NSW’s cultural diversity.
“The medallists recognised tonight are truly remarkable. They are the faces of the often unsung and humble work of members of our community,” Mr Williams said.
“This event showcases the very best of our society coming together.”
Ernie Friedlander told J-Wire: “Naturally we are thrilled to receive this prestigious Award acknowledging our effort in building bridges to other communities, sporting bodies and individuals. We have a long way to go to make the impact that we all need to work together to create a safer future for our children and grandchildren.
There is too much of the negatives emphasised and the positives are not appreciated enough. Giving particularly to the younger people the wrong impressions that this is life. In reality most people are decent human being. That is why this Premiers Harmony Dinner and the Awards are so valuable.”
