Monday, 1 July 2019

More Victorian communities, including Hume, will be able to showcase and share their diverse cultures, traditions and food with others, thanks to new funding from the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Richard Wynne and Member for Broadmeadows Frank McGuire announced more than $885,000 to support 476 festivals and events around the state celebrating Victoria’s rich multiculturalism.

The Multicultural Festivals and Events program provides funding annually to hold sporting carnivals, cultural and national day celebrations, conferences and exhibitions.

This year’s funding for local organisations, ranging from $3,320 to $500, will support events being held between July and December, including:

• Multicultural Youth Centre will hold the All of the US Multicultural Eid Festival in July
• Assyrian Culture Centre of Australia will hold an Assyrian Commemoration Day in August
• Upfield Soccer Club will hold the Refugee Girls’ Soccer Tournament in September
• All Saints will hold the All Saints Community Got Talent in September
• Ente Keralam Cultural Forum Incorporated will hold the 2019 Ente Keralam Sargolsavam

Children’s Festival

• Bhutanese Community in Australia Incorporated will hold the 2019 Dashain-Tihar

Multicultural Festival in October

• Hamro Parampara Foundation will hold the 2019 Annual General Festival in October
• Australian Rugby League Commission initiative to hold the 2019 Harmony Cup
• Bhutanese Nepali Ethnic School will hold the 2019 Bhutanese Dasian-Tihar Festival in

November

• Parents Teachers & Friends Association of VSL Sinhalese Incorporated will hold a

Sinhala Cultural Community Festival in November

• Melbourne Bangladeshi Community Foundation will hold a Northern Region Eid Festival

in August

• Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria will hold the Nepali Teez Festival Women of all Cultures in

August

• Assyrian Australian Social Development Club will hold an Assyrian Food Festival
• Macedonian Australian Cultural Youth Association Incorporated will hold an Independence

Day Celebration in September

Other events around Victoria will be held, including:

• The first year of the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace Festival
• A festival celebrating the establishment of Melbourne’s first mosque
• The Pasifika Festival in Shepparton
• A multi-faith food festival at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion in Bendigo
• The Taiwan Festival, the Mexican Festival and the Somali National Day Celebration.

Broadmeadows electorate

This support is in addition to the $350,000 pre-election commitment to fund 11 major multicultural events.

“It’s wonderful to see local multicultural groups get support to hold events that bring the community together – this is what Victoria is all about.”

“I encourage all Broadmeadows electorate residents to participate in one of the 487 events – particularly the local events – and enjoy Victoria’s rich diversity”, Mr McGuire said.

Supporting multicultural events is just one way we embrace our diversity, giving people from all walks of life the opportunity to experience something new and engage with Victorians of a different cultural heritage.

Victoria is one of the most diverse places in the world, with almost every second person either being born overseas or having at least one parent who was born overseas.

Victorians come from more than 200 different countries, speaking more than 260 languages and dialects and following 135 religious faiths.

More than 900 applications were submitted to the 2019/20 program.  Applications are assessed against program guidelines and considered by an independent panel, including representatives from the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Creative Victoria and Visit Victoria.

For a full list of successful applicants, visit multicultural.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Multicultural Affairs Richard Wynne

“Victoria is a proudly diverse state and our acceptance and understanding of each other’s differences has made this state what it is today.”

“Supporting these multicultural events are just one way we celebrate our heritage – and I urge all Victorians to get along to a festival near them.”

BroadmeadowsMedia Release