Wyndham City has received yet another major award, with the Mayor accepting the Local Government Award at Victoria’s Multicultural Awards for Excellence this week at Government House.
The Awards recognise outstanding achievements and services of organisations who have actively supported cultural diversity and made a real impact in promoting community harmony.
The nomination highlighted some of Wyndham’s work on promoting multiculturalism, including:
Cultural Diversity Portfolio Committee, The Multicultural Policy and Action Plan, Wyndham Exchange Community Dinners, Neighbourhood Bus Tours and Building Blocks leadership program.
Wyndham City’s Cultural Diversity Portfolio Holder Cr Gautam Gupta said the Multicultural Policy and Action Plan 2014-18 was adopted last year and this award outlines how well Wyndham City is enacting it.
“While Wyndham’s post-settlement history is well-known for the southern Europeans who pioneered market gardening in Werribee South, over the past decade Wyndham has become one of Australia’s fastest growing municipalities which has included an unprecedented boom in cultural diversity,” Cr Gupta said.
“This growth demanded a shift in community engagement from Council. In addition to community initiatives Wyndham City’s whole of Council approach to supporting multiculturalism made our nomination a stand out.”
“This approach has included establishing a youth multicultural committee, encouraging sporting competitions to become more accessible to newly arrived residents, mandatory staff cultural awareness and anti-racism training, developing a customer service guide to using translators and ongoing staff participation in the Wyndham Humanitarian Network.”
Wyndham Mayor Cr Adele Hegedich said she was honoured to receive the award on Council’s behalf.
“Wyndham City is proud of the significant progress we have made in such a short time, and is committed to continuing to enhance and promote the participation of our vibrant multicultural community in civic life,” Cr Hegedich said.
For more information on Wyndham City’s multicultural policy, visit www.wyndham.vic.gov.au
