Celebrating Victoria's Multicultural Excellence, Achievement and Impact

Sixty-seven outstanding Victorian individuals, businesses and organisations have been honoured for their respective contributions to multicultural communities across the state, at a ceremony held at Government House, Victoria, on Wednesday 4 December.

Hosted by Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria, and attended by Premier Jacinta Allan, Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt, and Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) Vivienne Nguyen, alongside other esteemed guests, the annual VMC Multicultural Awards for Excellence celebrate outstanding contributions to cross-cultural understanding and support for Victorians with migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

The 2024 Awards attracted 223 eligible nominations across categories including Arts, Business & Employment, Emergency Services, Local Government, Media, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Police, Premier’s Award for Community Harmony, Prevention of Family Violence, Refugee Awards, Sport, and Youth Leadership.

Additionally, 25 Victorians were inducted into the Multicultural Honour Roll, acknowledging their exceptional and enduring contributions to multiculturalism in Victoria.

Among the outstanding recipients, Wyndham Central College Community Hub, which serves more than 1,300 students, almost half of whom are from migrant or refugee backgrounds, was awarded the prestigious Premier’s Award for Community Harmony.

This year’s Refugee Awards highlighted leadership and success, with Diba Jalal earning the Refugee Young Leader Award for her work in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), inspiring the next generation of engineers.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton APM presented a series of awards in the Police category, recognising the outstanding achievements of Victoria Police officers and community members who built community trust and cultural understanding.

The Multicultural Awards for Excellence are proudly supported by Commonwealth Bank, Foot Solutions, John Stonemart Pty Ltd, LanguageLoop, LouvreElite, My Holistic Care, SBS, and the Victorian Electoral Commission. These valued sponsors share our commitment to celebrating diversity, fostering inclusion and empowering communities, making it possible to honour the exceptional contributions of individuals and organisations across Victoria.

Click here to view the full list of award winners and highly commended recipients.