Randwick City Library was awarded the Multicultural Excellence Award for 2011, for the library's Tales from Many Cities project, presented at the SWITCH 2011 Gala Awards Dinner, Dockside Function Centre, Cockle Bay, Monday 21 November 2011. The award was presented by the Public Libraries Association Metropolitan and Library Council of New South Wales in recognition of excellence in the provision of Multicultural Services to assist members of the community from non-English backgrounds.
Tales from Many Cities targeted the CALD community, native English speakers born in other countries and those who are Australian born to submit folklore, fairy stories, myths and legends that their parents used to tell or read to them when they were young. Twenty-four participants contributed a total of 27 stories from many cultures, including tales, folklores, myths and legends from South Africa, China, Indonesia, England, Russia, Cuba, Japan, Argentina, South Korea, Hungary, India, Norway and Indigenous Australia.
Moverly Children's Centre was one of the many partners of the project. Themes from the collected stories were identified and told to children who in turn provided drawings as their interpretation of the stories. These drawings became illustrations to these timeless classics. The resulting publication was distributed to 60 local preschools to be read at story time.
The project culminated in a launch and community celebration, reinforcing the initial aims of enabling a sense of belonging whilst celebrating the community's cultural diversity. Over 50 children and many of the contributors joined The Mayor of Randwick for story time, using a selection of the contributors' stories. Children and parents were engaged in the dramatisation of many stories from the publication by well known actor and performer, Bill Conn. An origami workshop and cultural harmony arts activity rounded off the successful launch.
This intergenerational project spanning three living generations, combining children's illustrations with the timeless stories provided by the adult contributors created a sense of continuity and belonging for all involved. Many of the stories necessitated the contributors revisiting precious memories or consulting elders in the community, strengthening bonds and memories of childhood.
The publication of Tales from Many Cities asserts the role of Randwick City Library in documenting our rich and vibrant cultural heritage. By remembering the precious stories of their culture, we are able to keep their memories alive in a tangible way accessible by generations to come.