A heartfelt thank you to the entire Mparntwe Alice Springs and surrounding communities, families, and friends for coming together to celebrate our diverse Central Australia at the Big Day Out in Harmony Festival.
Alice Springs is a unique town where people from more than 60 cultural backgrounds live, share, care, and belong together. Music, food, sport, and cultural celebrations are an integral part of our lives. The strength of our community lies in our ability to come together in times of celebration and in times of need, supporting one another as one big family.
Big Day Out in Harmony is all about sharing, connecting, and building social harmony while strengthening a cohesive and inclusive community. We all belong to this community, and together we make it stronger. The success of the Big Day Out in Harmony 2026, as with previous years, was made possible through the incredible support and dedication of many individuals, organisations, and volunteers.
Sincere Thanks to Our Partners & Supporters
We sincerely thank the Northern Territory Government, the Australian Government, Alice Springs Town Council, the team at 8CCC Community Radio, NTPHN, Centralian Today, Alice Springs Cinema, Music NT, DASA, and Pump and Power for their invaluable support.
On behalf of the Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia (MCSCA), I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to:
- First Nations Elders and youth for their participation and activities, including the smoking ceremony, cultural stalls, and sharing invaluable knowledge and information.
- All the community associations and cultural groups who participated through supporting rehearsals, performances, cultural activities, and the parade.
- The 258 performers who delivered 26 outstanding cultural performances.
- King Marong, the drumming guru of Alice Springs.
- The organisers of 27 stalls with their cultural and community activities.
- The food vendors representing cultures from around the world.
- Our dedicated volunteers, and
- Our special guest headline performer, Tara Tiba, the acclaimed Persian singer, with her band.
Special thanks to all the parents and children who participated in the performances and spent months practising drumming, the “We Are One” choir, and cultural dances. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work made this festival possible.
I would also like to thank MCSCA’s wonderful management and staff, the Board, and especially our Event Coordinator, Jessye Blake, for more than five months of preparation, commitment, and hard work. Big Day Out in Harmony continues to grow bigger and better each year because of your passion, effort, and enthusiasm.
Guided by Our Vision
Guided by MCSCA’s vision—“A society that embraces multiculturalism and diversity, where multicultural communities thrive and contribute to Central Australian society”—our Strategic Plan 2025–2030 continues to add value by building a socially cohesive, economically vibrant, and stronger Central Australian community.
MCSCA’s framework is centred on four key goals:
- Valuing Diversity
- Ensuring Inclusion
- Promoting Harmony
- Fostering Participation and Belonging
Through practical strategies that turn these goals into everyday reality, MCSCA works to provide accessible and equitable services, settlement support, consultation and advocacy for multicultural and minority communities, and opportunities that strengthen social cohesion. Public celebrations such as Big Day Out in Harmony bring diverse cultures together, encourage participation, and create meaningful connections across our community.
MCSCA will continue to play a catalyst role in promoting belonging, fostering diversity and inclusion, and building a stronger Central Australian community founded on social harmony, respect, and cohesion.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the Big Day Out in Harmony Festival 2026 such a remarkable success. Together, we celebrate our diversity, strengthen our connections, and continue building a community where everyone belongs.
Mona Ulak
Chairperson, MCSCA
