Welcoming Week 2026
Welcoming Week 2026 is an opportunity to celebrate the people, places and experiences that help create a sense of belonging in our community. This year's theme, Belonging is Everyone's Business, reminds us that fostering inclusion often starts with simple, everyday connections.
Did you know that meatballs are widely considered one of the most universal and multicultural foods in the world?
From Persian kofta to Vietnamese bò viên, variations of the humble meatball can be found across cultures, continents and generations. While ingredients, spices and cooking methods may differ, the idea remains remarkably familiar: a simple, affordable and adaptable food shared by communities around the globe.
As meatballs have travelled across borders, they have been embraced by different cultures and made part of local traditions. They demonstrate how something can retain its origins while also becoming part of something new.
In many ways, this reflects the story of communities. Murray Bridge is home to people from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. Each person brings something unique, helping to shape the community we share today.
Welcoming Week encourages us to recognise the value of these contributions and to consider how we can help others feel welcomed, included and connected. Sometimes belonging begins with a simple conversation, an invitation to participate, or taking the time to get to know someone new.
So today, inspired by a food that has found a place in so many cultures around the world, take the opportunity to connect with someone new to town, learn about a different perspective, or reach out to a neighbour.
Because when people feel they belong, communities become stronger, more connected and better places for everyone to thrive.
Belonging is Everyone's Business.
