Nominations are now open for Victoria’s Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2014.

The awards acknowledge the outstanding achievements and services of people and organisations who have actively supported cultural diversity and made a real impact in promoting community harmony.

There are ten award categories.

The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll aims to recognise newly arrived migrants and refugees who have arrived in the past 10 years and have played an outstanding leadership and volunteering role contributing to Victoria as a harmonious and diverse community.

The Award for Meritorious Service to the Community recognises the outstanding achievements of a community group or an individual who has had a minimum of 10 years voluntary service.

The Award for Service Delivery to Multicultural Victoria aims to recognise excellence in a specific area of service delivery such as aged care, arts, community services, education, emergency services, employment, health, local government, planning, regional development and tourism.

The Local Government Award recognises major improvements made, or initiatives developed, by a local municipal council that promote and strengthen multiculturalism.

The Victorian Multicultural Business Awards, namely the Corporate Innovation Award, recognises inclusive practices or initiatives by a business or corporation that utilise and promote Victoria’s multicultural advantage, whilst the Victorian Multicultural Marketing Award acknowledges and rewards businesses which have used a multilingual workforce (employment and diversity) in their overall marketing strategies.

The Media Award recognises excellence in the reporting of multicultural affairs.

The Education and Early Childhood Award, as its name suggests, recognises outstanding practices in education and early childhood services that raise awareness and support the implementation of civics, citizenship and multicultural education.

The Police and Community Multicultural Advisory Committee Award acknowledges police members who have demonstrated exemplary commitment to the development and enhancement of harmonious relations between police and Victoria’s culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities.

The Ambassador Award recognises achievements of exemplary leadership in the promotion of Victoria’s cultural diversity. Awards could be given to an individual or family, an organisation, or a young person under 25.

Finally, the Premier’s Award for Community Harmony recognises the outstanding achievement of an individual or organisation that has developed programs, strategies or activities which furthered cross-cultural and cross-religious harmony in Australia’s most culturally diverse state.

Last year, the Victorian Government honoured 77 people and 23 organisations.

The awards attracted more than 200 nominations, showing the breadth and support of people who make Victoria a great place to live.

Applications for this year’s Excellence Awards close on July 25 and can be submitted online at www.omac.smartygrants.com.au/multiculturalawards
For more information, call (03) 9651 0647.