The nominations for the highly esteemed NSW Premier’s Multicultural Community Medals and Honour Roll are now open.
These awards aim to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes who have tirelessly worked to create better and more harmonious communities throughout New South Wales.
The NSW Premier’s Multicultural Community Medals and Honour Roll celebrate the selfless dedication and extraordinary contributions of individuals and organizations that have significantly impacted the lives of people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Nominations are encouraged to recognise those who have played a crucial role in promoting unity, understanding, and social cohesion throughout the state.
The awards consist of 12 categories, each acknowledging the remarkable achievements of individuals and organisations that have played a pivotal role in fostering understanding and appreciation between diverse cultural communities. Nominations will be accepted until 5 pm on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
NSW Premier, Chris Minns, expressed his admiration for the numerous outstanding individuals whose stories deserve recognition. He stated, “Across all of New South Wales, there are unsung heroes working to make their communities better, and I want to highlight their stories.”
“These awards not only acknowledge the incredible leaders in New South Wales today but also those who came before us, whose impact continues to be felt decades later. I am proud to support the awards this year and encourage everyone in NSW to nominate a friend, family member, or colleague,” Minns added.
On the same note NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Steve Kamper, stressed the importance of multiculturalism in strengthening communities and making society more vibrant.
“In NSW, we believe that multiculturalism is good for everyone; it connects our communities and makes our society more alive,” he said.
“Unfortunately, not everyone survives to see the impact they had on the lives of those around them, and the Honour Roll is an opportunity to thank their families for their work that unites us with the common belief that everyone has something to contribute to our rich social fabric,” Kamper continued.
Dr GK ‘Hari’ Harinath OAM, Honorary Chair of the NSW Multicultural Advisory Committee, expressed his support for the ‘Dr G.K. Harinath OAM Not-For-Profit Business Excellence medal’. He said, “I would like to express my support for the ‘Dr G.K. Harinath OAM Not-For-Profit Business Excellence medal’.”
“The NNO has been very generous to me and my family, and I feel humbled that an award has been named in my honor. As an immigrant myself, I can attest to the work being done within and across all volunteer communities by so many people of multicultural backgrounds, who seek nothing more than to see everyone prosper and achieve their ambitious goals.”
The categories for the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Community Medals and Honour Roll are as follows:
1. Community Languages Teacher Medal
This award honors an outstanding and innovative teacher who instills a lifelong love of language and culture in their students, fostering a deeper understanding of diverse communities.
2. Youth Medal
Acknowledging young leaders, this award recognises individuals under the age of 25 who have made significant efforts to create connections and promote inter-cultural understanding among people from various backgrounds.
3. Arts & Culture Medal
Celebrating cultural ambassadors, this award acknowledges individuals who have promoted cultural understanding and artistic endeavours within or between communities of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
4. Lifetime Community Service Medal
This prestigious accolade commends individuals with a remarkable commitment to community service within a migrant community. The recipient’s contributions should have had a significant and lasting impact on the social or cultural well-being of the community for over 30 years.
5. NSW Human Rights Medal
This esteemed medal honors individuals who have made significant and enduring contributions to advancing human rights in NSW.
6. Regional Unity Medal
Recognising the efforts of those who have contributed significantly to the economic, social, and cultural well-being and unity of a regional community. The award applies to communities outside the greater metropolitan area of Sydney.
7. Stepan Kerkyasharian AO Community Harmony Medal
This award acknowledges an individual’s exceptional contribution to facilitating and promoting social cohesion, understanding, and acceptance among members of different cultural or faith communities in NSW.
8. Corporate Business Excellence Medal
This accolade celebrates businesses that have demonstrated outstanding achievements in creating employment or other opportunities that value and promote diversity and inclusion.
9. Dr G.K. Harinath OAM Not for Profit Business Excellence Medal
This award recognises the exceptional achievements of not-for-profit organisations that have promoted diversity and inclusion in their programming.
10. Local Government Business Excellence Medal
This award highlights the outstanding achievements of Local Government organizations that have actively worked to develop and support a diverse local community.
11. Sports Medal
Acknowledging the importance of sports in bridging cultural divides, this award honors individuals or sporting codes that have actively promoted cultural understanding through sports within or between communities of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
12. Language Services Medal
This award recognises the vital role of interpreters or translators in ensuring that the community of NSW has access to essential information and services.
For further information or to submit a nomination, please visit the official website of the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Community Medals and Honour Roll.
