As part of the celebrations, the school’s 95 students were treated to musical performances ranging from bagpipe groups as well as a didgeridoo player.

Students from the special school also participated in other activities including making Japanese rice balls and playing games from around the world.

Teacher at the school and organiser of the day’s events Sasha Matanalailai said while The Woden School had marked Harmony Day in previous years, this was the first year that events were planned as part of celebrations.

“We’ve celebrated it in the past by wearing orange, but it’s the first year there’s been a big event from outside the community,” she said.

Out of the school’s student body as well as their 50 staff members, more than 50 different nationalities are represented in the community.

Ms Matanalailai said the day was an important opportunity to recognise the school’s diversity.

“It’s a great opportunity to celebrate not only their own differences with abilities, but also embracing their differences and adding cultural differences is another important element to celebrate,” she said.

“It’s extremely important for kids to recognise the culture they’re from and as well as everyone else from their school.”

The day’s events also included assistance from several Canberra-based embassies.

Embassies including those from the Philippines, Japan, India and Botswana all helped to showcase elements of their culture to the students.

“Our students are all quite visual people, and it’s great for them to see, feel and touch what a culture looks like,” Ms Matanalailai said.

Music played a large part of the day’s celebrations, with the students participating in African drumming lessons.

Ms Matanalailai said the reaction from the children at the school has been overwhelmingly positive in relation to the different activities.

“They loved every minute of it,” she said.

“A lot of them were walking past the gym, and their eyes just lit up when they saw everything being set up.”