The University of the Sunshine Coast will celebrate Diversity Week across its campuses from August 20-24 with a range of activities like dancing, art, music, and sampling international cuisines.

Festivities to recognise different cultures, backgrounds and perspectives will begin at USC’s Sunshine Coast campus with a Diversity Week breakfast from 7.30-9.30am on Monday at the Innovation Centre auditorium.

Paralympic swimmer Marayke Jonkers will be guest speaker at the event, which will include the presentation of the Vice-Chancellor’s Diversity and Inclusion Awards to those who have contributed significantly to equity, diversity and inclusion at USC or in the wider community.

USC’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) Professor Joanne Scott said diversity was essential for a community to become richer in ideas and experiences.

“Diversity is having lots of identities and ideas and lived experience and heritage and current situations and aspirations for the future,” said Professor Scott, who is chair of USC’s Equity and Diversity Committee.

“Importantly, to be serious about diversity and its value to us, we have to be committed to being a university that actively respects, supports and wants diversity and is determined to be an inclusive community.”

Activities across campuses include traditional Indigenous games, drumming workshops, inclusive wheelchair tennis, emu feather jewellery making, all-abilities yoga, Kirtan singing and an open-air movie screening.

The full program of Diversity Week activities at USC is available online.

— Tom Snowdon