Aqila Ziae, Safe@School Taskforce’s Laura Sant’Ana and Jessie Atkins, Sanjay Sharma, Canberra Dragon Dance’s Wilson Lo and Hayley, and Dr Nilofar Ebrahimi celebrate the win. Photo: ACT Government.
Celebration, connection and belonging took centre stage at the 2025 ACT Multicultural Awards, where individuals and organisations were recognised for their outstanding contributions to diversity, inclusion and cultural exchange in Canberra.
These awards honour Canberrans who actively support and promote an inclusive and harmonious community, while raising public awareness of the many benefits of multiculturalism in the ACT over the past 12 months.
The ACT Government announced the winners across four award categories, celebrating the people and groups who help ensure that multiculturalism in Canberra is not just a word, but a lived reality.
“It is the foundation of equality, understanding, and unity,” said Dr Nilofar Ebrahimi on the award night.
Dr Ebrahimi, Community Educator and Health Promotion Officer at Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT), received the Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion. She has led programs for Afghan migrants – from driving lessons and swimming classes to cultural workshops and sexual health education – addressing areas often considered taboo within her community.
“Our goal is simple but powerful: to empower women and girls, to strengthen communities, and to support our people to settle and feel a sense of belonging in Australia.
“For me, multiculturalism is more than just a word; it is a commitment to respect and belonging. It means that every person – regardless of their language, ethnicity, or religion – has the right to live with dignity, to be heard, and to be part of the community we share.”
For many new migrants, the sense of belonging is at the heart of building a new life in Australia. This was also echoed in the story of Sanjay Sharma, winner of the Individual Champion Award.
As founder of the Indian Australian Multicultural Sports Association and Yerrabi District Cricket Club, Mr Sharma has used cricket as a bridge to foster cultural connection and inclusion. For the past 10 years, he has organised Pink Stumps Day, raising funds for the McGrath Breast Cancer Foundation while also creating opportunities for diverse communities to come together through sport.
“By involving South Asian women in cricket through Pink Stumps Day, we inspired their daughters to take up the sport. Today, four or five of those girls are proudly representing ACT at different levels.
“All of these experiences have strengthened my belief that multiculturalism is about breaking barriers, creating belonging, and opening opportunities for the next generation.”
The Art, Media or Culture Award went to Dr Wilson Lo, founder of Canberra Dragon Dance, in recognition of his efforts to bring Chinese cultural traditions into Canberra’s community life.
Since starting the group in 2017 with the aim of performing just a few times each year, it has now grown to around 70 performances annually.
He said the group has been embraced not only at multicultural festivals, but also throughout mainstream Australian society.
“I love the way that Canberrans really embrace customs from other parts of the world, and I think that’s the way that you fight xenophobia. That’s the way you stop a lot of wars in the world. People should be accepting diversity as a whole…I can see how things have changed over the years, and it will be great to see it change even more, so that everyone is accepted for everything they bring to society.”
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Michael Pettersson congratulated all winners and finalists, praising their extraordinary contributions to equity and belonging.
“We’re so fortunate to have these local heroes living and working in our community,” he said.
“They truly embody the positive outcomes we see when multiculturalism is valued, respected and celebrated.”
Winners of the 2025 ACT Multicultural Awards:
- Individual Champion Award
- Winner: Sanjay Sharma
- Highly commended: Aqila Ziae
- Community Organisation Champion Award
- Winner: Safe@School Taskforce
- Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion
- Winner: Dr Nilofar Ebrahimi
- Highly commended: Santosh Kumar Gupta
- Art, Media or Culture Award
- Winner: Canberra Dragon Dance
- Highly commended: Pradeep Timalsina.
