Recognising excellence in multicultural Victoria
The Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence (MAEs) honour outstanding individuals and organisations who have made significant contributions to strengthening multiculturalism in Victoria.
Now in its 25th year, the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) proudly coordinates the MAEs to celebrate those who champion cross-cultural understanding and support Victorians from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to thrive and fully participate in all areas of life.
This year, nominations are open across 13 award categories, including the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll.
Now in its 5th year, the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll recognises individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to multiculturalism in Victoria.
Nominations are now open and close at 11:59pm on 13 July 2026.
Key stages and dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Nominations open | 11 May 2026 |
| Nominations close | 13 July 2026 (by 11:59pm) |
| Judging period | August – mid-September 2026 |
| Notification date | Late September 2026 |
| Awards ceremony | 14 October 2026 |
Read the guidelines
Before you begin, read the nomination guide above (which includes the questions you’ll be asked about the person you’re nominating) and allow time to prepare your answers. Then submit a nomination via the link below.
Categories
The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll recognises the efforts of individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to multiculturalism in Victoria.
Eligibility
Self-nominations are accepted. Nominees must:
- Reside in Victoria.
- Be an Australian resident (temporary or permanent).
- Have a culturally or linguistically diverse background.
- Have 10 or more years of experience working with, or for the benefit of, multicultural and multifaith communities.
NOTE: Organisations are ineligible for the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll.
Criteria
- Has made a lasting contribution to multiculturalism in Victoria.
- Demonstrates an impact on the multicultural community in Victoria.
- Demonstrates commitment to the Victorian multicultural community.
Recognising artists, performers and organisations that develop and implement arts programs or initiatives that improve intercultural learning or social cohesion through participation and performance.
Eligibility
- Individuals, community groups, organisations.
Example: Artists and arts centres, filmmakers, authors, dance companies, cooking classes or cultural classes.
Criteria
- Promotes, supports and preserves cultural expression through the arts.
- Cultivates the talents of culturally diverse artists through participation and performance.
- Builds social cohesion and fosters intercultural understanding by creating opportunities for collaboration and performance.
Recognising businesses and employment pathways that provide outstanding service to Victorian multicultural communities and lead the way in building a culturally and religiously diverse and culturally safe workplace.
Businesses who support the employment, contribution and/or participation of those who arrived as refugees or asylum seekers are encouraged to apply. For newly arrived Victorians, workforce participation and easy access to culturally appropriate services are crucial to developing a sense of belonging and purpose.
Eligibility
- Individuals, businesses and organisations whose focus is the inclusion of cultural diversity in their workforce, products and/or services.
Example: The nominee may have driven change through advocacy, training or programs that support people who arrived as refugees or asylum seekers.
Criteria
- Develops innovative internal practices that demonstrate the benefits of multiculturalism.
- Implements effective business practices to increase employment for people with multicultural backgrounds.
- Uses innovative marketing and communications strategies to engage multicultural audiences with their service or product.
- Uses a multilingual workforce to engage the community.
Recognising reporting, coverage or content:
- of issues of importance to culturally and religiously diverse communities
- that contributes to improved cross-cultural understanding among Victorians
- that promotes multiculturalism, harmony and inclusion through traditional or new media.
Eligibility
- Individual journalists or a media communicator, team or organisation, for work published/broadcast between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026.
- Both traditional media (television, radio, newspapers, magazines) and new media (blogs, social media, podcasts).
- Proof of original work is required (submitted as supporting documentation).
Example: Radio stations or podcasters that reported on current affairs relevant to culturally diverse Victorians.
Criteria
- Increases awareness and understanding of multicultural affairs in Victoria.
- Shows sensitive understanding of a relevant issue affecting or involving multicultural or multifaith communities.
- Has a constructive impact on Victorians and builds or supports social cohesion.
Recognising mental health practitioners, researchers, volunteers and organisations that address the needs of people with culturally diverse backgrounds and/or provide outstanding mental health and wellbeing care, support or services to multicultural communities.
Eligibility
- Individuals, businesses and organisations who focus on delivering mental health awareness, mental health training, research and/or mental health initiatives that support and address the mental health needs of multicultural communities.
Example: Service provider or community organisation that focuses on improving mental health outcomes for multicultural Victorians.
Criteria
- Addresses the mental health and wellbeing needs of culturally diverse Victorians through culturally appropriate services or research.
- Fosters cultural diversity and inclusion in the mental health and wellbeing healthcare system and increases cultural awareness within the workforce.
- Promotes or supports effective mental health and wellbeing messaging for culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse Victorians.
Recognising outstanding contributions to multicultural harmony in the field of policing. Police categories include:
- Police Annual Multicultural Award
- Police Community Exemplary Award
- Police Multicultural Media Award
- Police Annual Protective Service Officer Multicultural Award
Police Annual Multicultural Award
Recognises a police employee who has established relationships with multicultural communities by developing innovative strategies.
Eligibility: Victoria Police employees.Police Multicultural Media Award
Recognises a police employee who communicates police/multicultural issues via ethnic and/or mainstream media outlets.
Eligibility: Victoria Police employees.
Protective Service Officer Multicultural Award
Recognises a Protective Service Officer who has established relationships with multicultural communities by developing innovative strategies.
Eligibility: Victoria Police Protective Service Officers
Police Community Exemplary Award
This award is open to police, a community group/provider or a community person/s. This award recognises the development of innovative strategies and initiatives that promote positive relations between Police and multicultural communities.
Eligibility: Members of Victoria Police, community groups/providers and/or the community.
NOTE:- Victoria Police independently assess the police award category
- All nominations for this category are still required to undergo screening as per other categories
For all information about how to make a nomination for the Victoria Police Multicultural Awards, please contact: Bruce Colcott, Priority & Safer Communities Division, Victoria Police by email at bruce.colcott@police.vic.gov.au
Recognising an individual or an organisation that has made a significant contribution to increasing understanding, acceptance and cooperation between different faith and cultural groups.
The Premier of Victoria will select two recipients of this award (one individual and one organisation), following assessment of eligible nominations. The eligible nominations shortlist will be pulled from submissions provided for this category or any nomination shortlist by the judging panel in any other Award category.
Eligibility
- Individuals, community groups, organisations, businesses, corporations and local governments.
Criteria
- Undertakes initiatives with multiple organisations, individuals or groups seeking to increase understanding and acceptance between cultural or religious groups.
- Leads initiatives that promote acceptance of other cultures and religions.
- Initiates community activities involving more than one cultural or faith group working together on a community project that demonstrates or promotes harmony.
Recognising family violence practitioners, researchers, volunteers and organisations that address the needs of people with culturally and religiously diverse backgrounds and/or provide outstanding family violence services to multicultural communities.
Eligibility
- Individuals, businesses and organisations who focus on delivering prevention of family violence awareness, training, research and/or family violence initiatives that support and address the challenges of multicultural communities.
Example: A community organisation that aims to prevent family violence through campaigns and awareness raising activities.
Criteria
- Addresses the family violence needs of culturally and religiously diverse Victorians through culturally appropriate services or research.
- Fosters cultural diversity and inclusion in the family violence system and increases cultural awareness within the workforce.
- Promotes or supports effective awareness about family violence for culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse Victorians.
Recognising:
- Victorian public sector: A Victorian Government department or agency that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion by improving outcomes for multicultural communities. This may include designing and delivering services, programs or policies that are responsive to the needs of multicultural communities, and achieving measurable improvements – such as increased service access, participation or representation.
- Local councils: Local government authorities (councils) for major initiatives that meet the needs of their culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities.
- Emergency services: Individuals, units, clubs or stations, working or volunteering for Victoria’s emergency services who promote and champion cultural diversity and address the specific needs of multicultural communities.
Eligibility
Individuals, organisations, business units/teams, or multiple departments/agencies working together, from:
- Victorian Public Service (Victorian government departments, statutory authorities, and agencies).
- Victorian Public entities (bodies established by an Act or Minister, for example, AMES Australia, Development Victoria, Geelong Cemeteries Trust).
- Victorian local government authorities / municipal councils.
- Emergency services sector, including:
– Ambulance Victoria
– Australian Red Cross
– Country Fire Authority
– Fire Rescue Victoria
– Forest Fire Management Victoria
– Life Saving Victoria
– Marine Search and Rescue
– State Emergency Service
– Triple Zero Victoria
Initiatives may relate to internal workforce diversity and inclusion or external service delivery.
NOTE: Elected officials at any level of government, including councillors, are ineligible for any Awards.
Criteria
- Addresses the needs of culturally and religiously diverse Victorians through culturally appropriate services, programs or policy development that demonstrate measurable outcomes or impact for multicultural communities (e.g. increased access, participation, satisfaction, or representation).
- Builds capability within the public sector to serve multicultural communities more effectively (e.g. through training, partnerships, co-design, or workforce initiatives).
- Promotes greater communication and access between culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse communities and local government.
- Fosters cultural diversity and inclusion in the Victorian public sector and increases cultural awareness within the workforce through innovative internal practices.
Recognising individuals and organisations that demonstrate outstanding leadership in supporting newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum through advocacy, education, employment, business, entrepreneurship or volunteering.
Nominees may have advocated for the rights and needs of newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum, improved access to settlement services and expanded employment pathways, or created opportunities for participation, contribution and belonging.
Eligibility
- Community groups and organisations that support or advocate for the rights and needs of refugees and people seeking asylum, including refugee-led organisations.
- Individuals from asylum seeker or refugee backgrounds, or born to parents of migrant and refugee backgrounds, who demonstrate outstanding leadership and achievement in the community.
Criteria
- Effectively supports or advocates for the rights and needs of newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum.
- Improves access for refugees and people seeking asylum to settlement services and/or employment pathways and opportunities.
- Creates opportunities for refugees and people seeking asylum to participate, contribute and belong.
Recognising young individuals and organisations that demonstrate outstanding leadership in supporting newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum through advocacy, education, employment, business, entrepreneurship or volunteering.
Young nominees may have advocated for the rights and needs of newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum, improved access to settlement services and expanded employment pathways, or created opportunities for participation, contribution and belonging.
Eligibility
- Community groups and organisations, run by people aged 25 years old and under, that support or advocate for the rights and needs of refugees and people seeking asylum, including refugee-led organisations.
- Individuals aged 25 years old and under, from a refugee or asylum seeker background, or born to parents of a refugee or asylum seeker background, who demonstrate outstanding leadership and achievement in the community.
Criteria
- Effectively supports or advocates for the rights and needs of newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum.
- Improves access for refugees and people seeking asylum to settlement services and/or employment pathways and opportunities.
- Creates opportunities for refugees and people seeking asylum to participate, contribute and belong.
Recognising individuals and organisations that develop and implement sporting and recreation programs that aim to build social cohesion and harmony across or within multicultural communities.
Eligibility
- Individuals, community groups and organisations who develop and implement sporting and recreation programs or activities or who promote multicultural understanding.
Example: Individual and organisations working across sports clubs, and traditional or cultural recreation activities like tai chi or yoga.
Criteria
- Develops innovative internal practices that demonstrate the benefits of multiculturalism.
- Promotes cultural diversity within sport or recreation and fosters intercultural understanding and inclusion.
- Increases participation of Victorians from culturally, religiously and linguistically diverse backgrounds in sport or recreation.
Recognising the outstanding contributions of a young person, group or organisation that provides leadership, empowerment and support to young Victorians from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Eligibility
- Individuals aged 25 years old and under
- Community groups or organisations run by people aged 25 years old and under, who provide leadership and support to young multicultural Victorians.
Criteria
- Supports young people from culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities to participate and contribute to society.
- Successfully implements a program or initiative designed to resolve, or aim to resolve, an issue affecting culturally diverse youth in their community.
- Actively promotes and builds community understanding and engagement through volunteering or paid work.
Spread the word
You can download and use a range of resources to promote the MAEs across your networks. Use these materials to help recognise the people and organisations that have fostered cross‑cultural understanding and supported migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
If you have specific asset requests, please contact awards@vmc.vic.gov.au.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
If you have any other questions or need further assistance, please contact awards@vmc.vic.gov.au.
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