Students at Griffith University have again embraced Harmony Week, digging deep into their pockets to support the needy in the community.

Chancellor Leneen Forde AC this week presented a cheque of $4004 to Troy Bailey, manager of the Rosies Charity at the Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue at Griffith’s Nathan campus.

Ms Forde, a Rosies patron, said the charity extended a sympathetic hand to the homeless in our community and there were far too many homeless people for a rich society such as ours to be comfortable with.

“There are many root causes of homelessness, both personal and social, and the very concept of Harmony Week demands that we do whatever we can to address these,’’ she said.

“Griffith University is committed to developing communities based on the principles of peace, compassion, justice, human rights, respect for other cultures and support for the principle of sustainability.

“Sustainability goes beyond just concern for the environment and embraces everything we do in our private and public lives.”

Held nationally on March 21 each year, Harmony Day recognises the United Nations day of anti-racial discrimination, and celebrates the diversity of all people living in Australia.

“The extension of Harmony Day to Harmony Week allows for a multi-campus institution like Griffith to host activities across a longer period, and on different sites, providing a welcome to international and domestic students early in the academic year,” said Student Services Director Joanna Peters.

Harmony Week has been coordinated by Student Services at Griffith for more than 10 years, initially driven by the Chaplaincy Service as a ‘meet the chaplain” activity.

In recent years it has been a collaborative activity involving academic and central elements, and student associations.

This year Harmony Week ran from March 15-21, with a variety of activities on each campus including citizenship ceremonies, cultural dances, music, lectures, library displays and the sale of Harmony Week t-shirts