Published: 2 August 2019
Last updated: 4 March 2024
But the program at the Melbourne Immigration Museum this week was far from ordinary.
The program, Museums Together, brought together 100 children from the Jewish King David School and Keysborough’s predominantly Muslim Sirius College. It aims to build bridges and spark acceptance and respect in young minds.
The session held on Monday was the first of five, spread over four months. It was an introduction, lively and genial, giving the children a chance to break the ice. They got a chance to learn a bit about each other’s cultures; the differences, of course, but importantly the similarities as well.
“We've learnt how to get along with people from another culture, kids just like us,” Sirius College student Ekteena said. “We have so much in common; we're all human.”
Before they could begin, the children were asked to sign a contract. The contract bound them to a code of conduct, including how they would speak and listen, and consider the feelings of others, with clauses such as:
- I will listen to others without interrupting.
- I will consider your views and beliefs as legitimate, even if I do something different.
- I will be true to myself and not pretend to be someone else.
The contract left space for the children to insert their own clauses. Some added “I will not judge anyone on their clothes”.
One of the day’s activities involved the children drawing items that shape their identity on a white T-shirt, and then comparing with each other.
If the shirts are anything to go by, one institution that has crossed the cultural divide is English football giant Liverpool. Apart from perhaps family and friends, Liverpool was mentioned more often than just about anything else.
One girl, Clara, had written the name of Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohammed Salah on her shirt, directly above a Magen David. I asked her if it was intentional. She said it wasn’t.
In upcoming sessions, the program will delve deeper into the children’s respective cultures. Jewish students will be educated on their community’s history at the Jewish Museum and will have the chance to impart that information to their Muslim counterparts, and vice versa.
Religion & Values Educator at Sirius College, Dr Sadik Kirazli, sees this as an important opportunity for the children to broaden their horizons.
“Museums Together represents an opportunity for our students to learn about difference, as well as how to live with people from diverse backgrounds,” Dr Kirazli said.
It can be a powerful program is the students have the right attitude, and King David’s Grade 6 coordinator Andrew Berhang said that’s been the case.
“You could feel excitement but also nervous energy in the room as the students made new connections,” he said. “They had a great time interacting with the facilitators and each other, and building new friendships.”
KDS student Gabriel is one step ahead. “I'm looking forward to making some new friends. I have already.”
For its part, the Immigration Museum sees itself as a logical middle ground for these sorts of activities. The Museum was involved in the formation of Multicultural Museums Victoria, with a view to facilitating interaction between the cultural centres.
Photo: students at the program (supplied)
