When Shakhram (Shak) Rakhmatullaev was asked to create a new Senior School committee complementing those that already strengthen our School’s culture, he immediately knew where he wanted to focus his attention.
“Even though we have a School that really values inclusivity through committees like the Reconciliation Committee and the Pride Alliance, I could see there was a need for a group that looked directly at diversity,” explains Shak, who is currently in Year 12. “Creating a dedicated diversity committee sends a message that this is something we celebrate and are dedicated to working on, something that’s a pillar of our School.”
Celebrating strengths, taking on challenges
Vincent Chiang (OM 2010), Teacher of English and one of the Committee Mentors for the newly formed Across Boundaries Committee, says he sees this group as an extension of the School’s existing values, as well as a way to identify opportunities for change.
“Speaking as both a teacher and an Old Melburnian, Melbourne Grammar already has a culture that celebrates inclusiveness and togetherness, but sometimes our differences can remain unspoken,” Vincent says. “The Across Boundaries Committee creates an opportunity to discuss these differences more explicitly, to celebrate them, and to put our School values further into action.”
As a first step, the Committee ran activities during Cultural Diversity Week in late March, including House-based trivia, performances, games, and a Cultural Diversity Forum led by Tarang Chawla, a representative from the Victorian Multicultural Commission.
These events were held to celebrate diversity and promote its presence within the School. Moreover, they were also held to acknowledge the many challenges Australian society still faces with regards to discrimination and exclusion. One of the committee’s primary goals is to look for ways that the School can work harder to fight against discrimination and exclusion, both within the School community and outside of it.
Committee Secretary Sanjeet Sampath, currently in Year 11, says these activities are just the beginning, and that every student and teacher has a role to play.
“We want to keep the momentum going and see what else we can do across the whole School,” Sanjeet says. “We’re really pushing to make sure there’s no sense that you have to have a certain background to join the Committee. We want to include those who have diverse views and perspectives.”
Looking towards the next opportunity
Teacher of French and fellow Committee Mentor Phuong Tran says that for many students, experiences outside the School gates inform their understanding of diversity.
“Everyone involved has their own life experience to bring to the table,” Phuong says. “There’s no such thing as a default experience, and we know we can all learn from each other and apply what we learn to life outside the School.”
“We’re thinking about how we can get involved with charities and other organisations, like the Values in Action committee does with its service to the community,” adds Shak. “We want to continue to celebrate what the School’s doing well, and to keep looking for ways we can go beyond the superficial and discuss bigger issues.”
