Video transcript
Public Education Week 2024 – Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition

Student 1

The past will always affect the future.

Tony Davey

It's a public speaking comp for kids in Years 3 to 6. About 2,000 of them each year write speeches about multiculturalism on a bunch of topics we set them, as well as writing their own impromptu speech with only five minutes.

Judy Burns

I love adjudicating these events because you hear children, right from the age of 8 today through to 12, about something that's happening in their world and differences that they'd like to make. So it gives kids a voice.

Student 2

Every day, we all must remember that we are all unique representations representing our own beautiful cultures and religions.

Tony Davey

In terms of belonging, what it does is it makes kids think about what it takes to belong somewhere. And they take those learnings away, and that's how they think about their schools now, places where it's their responsibility to help their friends or new people who come to the school belong.

Student 3

Well at my school, I reckon everyone belongs here because I can say that there has to be at least 20 different cultures here.

Student 4

I feel like I belong at my school because everyone is inclusive at my school, and being inclusive can bring communities together.

Student 5

I feel like I belong when I have my friends with me.

Student 6

Teachers help me feel like I belong.

Student 7

I feel like I belong when everybody is including me.

Student 8

My school makes me feel like I belong when they help me, when they support me, and when we all have a fun time together.