The Andrews Labor Government and the Victorian Multicultural Commission are encouraging Victorians to honour the remarkable people and organisations who help weave the fabric of our state's multicultural success story, with nominations for the 2023 Multicultural Awards for Excellence now open.
Now in its 22nd year, the awards honour outstanding individuals and organisations who build cross-cultural understanding and support people with a migrant, refugee or asylum seeker background, many of whom continue to make outstanding contributions in all walks of life.
Victorians can be nominated for paid or voluntary work, and each of the 14 categories may have multiple winners and recognise highly commended nominations. All recipients will be honoured at a ceremony in December.
This year's categories are Arts, Business, Community Innovation, Education, Emergency Services, Health, Justice, Local Government, Media, Police, Refugee Advocacy, Sport, Youth Leadership, and the Premier's Award for Community Harmony.
Previous award winners include:
- Sikh Volunteers Australia, the not-for-profit group focusing on reducing community distress by providing free food, received the Premier's Award for Community Harmony in 2022
- Natalija Nesvadba, the manager of the Multicultural Services Unit at Mercy Hospital received the Refugee Advocacy Award last year for delivering projects tailored to migrants and refugee women and their families
- Victoria University won the Business Award in 2018 for its detailed Cultural Diversity Strategy to advance and celebrate the rich diversity of perspectives
- Latin Stories Australia won the Community Innovation Award in 2022 with its Nuestras Voces Community project, 32 members of different Spanish speaking countries and communities trusted Latin Stories Australia to tell their life stories via documentaries, podcasts and online publications.
Nominations close 11.59pm on Sunday, 3 September.
For more information visit multiculturalcommission.vic.gov.au/multicultural-awards-for-excellence.
As stated by Minister for Multicultural Affairs Colin Brooks
"Victoria continues to be a multicultural success story and these awards remind us to stop and recognise those who make our state such a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive place to live."
As stated by VMC Chairperson Vivienne Nguyen
"Our multicultural communities remain connected and inspired thanks to these champions. This is an important opportunity for us to recognise and thank the people and organisations whose contributions create significant impacts on the broader society."
"I encourage everyone to nominate a person or organisation to ensure their efforts are noted and celebrated."
