For many years the Blessing of the Fleet Festival has attracted thousands of visitors to the region for a day if colour and excitement, built around fishing families asking St Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, to bless the local fishing fleet.

It started as a humble ceremony paying homage to its roots all the way back in Italy, but in recent times had grown into a major celebration not only of the fishing industry and the important role it played in the region’s development, but also a showcase of the region’s youth, its natural beauty, its energy and talent.

It is without doubt one of the peak cultural events in the state, if not Australia.

However this year the region has a chance to celebrate much more than the fishing industry and the Italian families that pioneered it.

The Ulladulla region has a deeply multicultural past, along with an increasingly multicultural present and future, and this is being recognised during the inaugural South Coast Festival of Nations.

Like the Blessing of the Fleet Festival before it, the South Coast Festival of Nations recognises the strength and diversity that different cultures offer a community, a region and a nation.

While the Blessing of the Fleet Festival looks specifically at the role played by the Italian fishing families, the South Coast Festival of Nations will celebrate the many other cultures that have played a role in building up our region.

Its aim is to break down barriers between people, countries and cultures by spreading understanding and acceptance, which is particularly relevant when viewed against the backdrop of the conflict happening in so many parts of the world.

The message of tolerance and acceptance is an important one, and no doubt will help the South Coast Festival of Nations grow to become a major event that plays a significant role in the local economy, just like the Blessing of the Fleet Festival before it.

Together, they add up to what will be a memorable Easter long weekend in the Milton Ulladulla region.