A spokesman for the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs, Laurie Ferguson, said Camden Council had applied for funding for programs that promoted harmony, diversity and multiculturalism.

``In view of recent controversy around Camden I guess there is some added urgency to this issue,'' he said.

``We are currently in the process of assessing applications but certainly we do think that Camden is an area that would quite likely qualify for some kind of funding.

``There is a degree of urgency built around the intensity of debate that has been occurring in Camden.''

Camden Council general manager Greg Wright said the funding application was ``not necessarily'' a direct result of the controversy surrounding the Quranic Society's school application.

``There's a package of things we're working on,'' he said. ``It's not a direct result but [the debate] has brought it into sharp relief that these sorts of programs can be useful in a community to promote a better understanding of varying cultural backgrounds and issues.''

Ruth Lesmana, 18, was involved in setting up ``Carmony'' a 2006 program that promoted awareness of different cultures in the Camden area at special theme nights.

She said promoting multiculturalism and harmony in Camden was important.

``To be able to get along with each other, we've got to try and understand the differences as well as similarities that we have,'' she said. ``It's really all about community. In the end that's what it all comes down to.''