Children from different cultural backgrounds are being encouraged to share their experiences as part of a new program introduced by Victoria Police.
Police Sgt Luke Holmes from the station in Springvale, Victoria, said the initiative was about instilling tolerance and understanding between differing cultures.
He said that while the differences could provide some problems for adults, educating kids at a young age was an important step towards the exchange of respect and understanding of the various cultures. As a bonus, the program also provided an opportunity to teach children about citizenship ceremonies and the role police play within the community.
Cultural differences can be seen throughout society, in everything from dining outlets to the way people dress. Multicultural events are also popular features on promotional materials, such as postcard printing.
Bridging the cultural divide is the main aim of the program, which Sgt Holmes said was also providing an opportunity to engage participants. He said it also gave police a chance to speak to youths about important issues such as traffic and cyber safety.
During the past two months, students from Wonthaggi’s St Josephs and Noble Park’s St Anthony’s have been exchanging information about their differing cultural backgrounds with great success.
Appreciating other cultures by walking in their shoes was considered a positive step towards acceptance by Wonthaggi Police Snr Constable Chris Di Ciero.
