2025 winners
Emil Rahimov is a Director of CALD Services for Queensland Baptists, an advocate for interfaith cooperation and harmony, and a supporter of refugees and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
As a member of the Queensland Police Service Multicultural Advisory Group, Rahimov works closely with faith leaders across Queensland, using spirituality as a means of fostering social cohesion.
In partnership with Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland, he has helped develop resources including mental health tools for migrant communities and is pursuing a PhD focussing on the mental well-being of children in skilled migrant families.
Rahimov is deeply committed to grassroots communities and works to ensure that all individuals, regardless of faith or cultural background, feel welcomed and valued.
Ben Maiyo works as a Community and Co-design Project Officer at the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ). Beyond his work at ECCQ, Mr Maiyo is a Red Cross volunteer, disaster preparedness and response facilitator, and community advocate.
Through the Red Cross Pillowcase Project, he has trained children in disaster preparedness, building their confidence and resilience to respond in times of emergency.
He has translated emergency updates into Kiswahili during Cyclone Alfred, ensuring multicultural communities were not left behind. And he has connected more than 100 people with vital services such as recovery support and mental health care during the 2025 floods in North Queensland.
Since arriving in Queensland less than two years ago, Ben has helped reconnect families, assisted young people and women in obtaining their driver’s licences, and strengthened engagement with multicultural organisations.
His dedication, leadership, and innovative approach have made a tangible, positive difference in Queensland, helping diverse communities thrive socially and economically.
Raewyn Burton (Rae) is a volunteer and advocate for Pacific Islanders and multicultural inmates in prison and in immigration detention.
Since she started volunteering in 2013, Rae has forged pathways within correctional centres and reached out to organisations that don’t often engage in cross cultural conversations.
She’s provided prison inmates and people in detention, and their families, access to legal information and support, as well as accommodation, food and financial aid.
Rae has also supported new arrivals in the community with food, accommodation, legal services, even Christmas hampers.
Rae has also been a powerful force for change for the rights of non-citizens facing trial.
Her links to community and outreach, all done on a voluntary basis, have provided deep and crucial support to migrant communities.
The Maisha Bora Program is a transformative initiative that has empowered resettled refugees and migrant women, particularly single mothers, to actively engage in Queensland’s social and economic landscape.
From the Swahili phrase for “better life”, the Maisha Bora Program has for over five years been a lifeline for refugees and migrants navigating the complexities of a new country, helping them to recognise their skills, build confidence and secure employment or education opportunities.
Initiated and led by African- Australian women, and under the directorship of current Multicultural Queensland Advisory Council member Anna Jones — herself a migrant with experience working in refugee camps - the group has provided migrants in North Queensland access to vocational training in areas such as hospitality, agriculture and crafts.
Maisha Bora also offers language classes, financial literacy training and work placement, and organises community events aimed at fostering social connection and cultural exchange.
Lolla Ingadottir is a dedicated Queensland Government employee who applies innovative and creative approaches to encourage social cohesion, promote cultural mentoring, and empower disadvantaged communities across Townsville and North Queensland.
Through various programs and initiatives, Lolla has supported migrants and refugees by connecting them with essential community services, assisting in the development of food businesses, and advocating for their needs across state and local government, as well as within the broader community.
Lolla’s commitment to building intercultural understanding and supporting those experiencing disadvantage has strengthened connections across communities and created opportunities for participation and inclusion.
John Holland is an Australian construction and engineering company that is setting an example for other businesses to follow.
Partnering with organisations such as Multicultural Australia, CareerSeekers, and Multicultural Consulting Services, John Holland has provided life-changing paid internship opportunities for more than 150 refugees and asylum seekers across Australia. Many have continued into full-time employment with John Holland at the completion of their internship.
Believing that everyone benefits from a work culture that values different identities and perspectives, John Holland strives to create a workplace where everyone feels that they belong. This is achieved through a range of initiatives, including providing a cultural leave exchange program to support their staff.
These actions demonstrate a values-driven culture, where corporate responsibility is prioritised and put into action.
Irene Bayldon has been volunteering in the community sector in various capacities for over 35 years.
She has been involved with the Brisbane Migrant Resource Centre, worked on the development of the Brisbane Ethnic Multicultural Arts Centre (BEMAC), and is President of the Ethnic Schools Association of Queensland.
Through her work at Radio 4EB, Irene has used her position to elevate and amplify Pacific voices and mentored and trained new cadets.
Irene started a Fiji language program in 1997, and has worked with the Queensland Multicultural Council, Women’s Ethnic Network, the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) and the Indian Senior Citizens Association among many others.
Irene’s tireless commitment over nearly 40 years to championing the voices and needs of multicultural communities in Queensland, makes her a worthy recipient of the Lifetime Achiever award.
Highly Commended Recipients for 2025
In 2025, the nominations were an exceptional standard. In addition, to celebrating our category winners, we are also proud to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of our highly commended recipients.
The achievements of these individuals and organisations have made an important contribution to building a prosperous, fair, and harmonious Queensland.
Muhammed Haniff Abdul Razak, Director of the Multi-Faith Multicultural Centre, is a local leader advocating for multifaith and multicultural harmony in Toowoomba.
His work has included the creation of the Scriptures 360 — a compilation of scriptures from 10 major religions, establishment of interfaith working groups, a radio series promoting religious and social harmony, and organising international peace conferences.
Kim Price is a Multicultural Community Development Officer with the Sunshine Coast Council and an advocate for amplifying marginalised voices in the Sunshine Coast.
Through initiatives such as “Multicultural Conversations”, “Shine a Light on Racism” campaign, and “Migrant Work Ready”, Kim has helped create pathways to participation and championed a more inclusive and collaborative community.
Gigi Lacey is a consultant who helps community and multicultural organisations across Queensland. She provides these groups with valuable skills training, registration and grant-writing assistance, volunteer management and governance, among other services.
Gigi provides her services pro-bono 10 hours each week, to help vital community groups to continue and to thrive.
Dr Chanchal Kurup is a researcher, educator and policy influencer advocating for Internationally Qualified Nurses (IQNs) in Australia.
Dr Kurup works to address the systemic underutilisation of their skillsets, and the problems of bias in recruitment processes. Her main focus is helping healthcare organisations to make more informed and equitable hiring decisions and ensuring internationally trained nurses are best able to use their skills to benefit the Queensland healthcare system.
Alex Salvador has spent more than 25 years advocating for inclusivity and cross-cultural unity through music. He uses drums and drum circles as a platform for people from diverse cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic background to come together.
In addition to his musical advocacy, Alex has spent 30 years supporting the settlement of thousands of refugees and migrants through his work at the Migrant Resource Centre and at James Cook University.
The late Dr David Levitt was a dedicated paediatrician with a passion for providing care for refugee children and their families.
Through his leadership and introduction of change at Brisbane’s Mater Children’s Hospital, Dr Levitt worked tirelessly to ensure refugee children could access the care they needed. His long-term commitment to the healthcare rights of children, and his pivotal role in establishing and sustaining the paediatric refugee unit, have left a lasting legacy that continues to benefit refugee communities today.
Centacare FNQ is a social services agency of the Catholic Diocese of Cairns working in Far North Queensland.
The organisation provides disaster recovery and resilience support, as well as counselling and employment services, job training, and programs for newly arrived refugees and migrants. Through its ‘Our Regional Way’ program, Centacare FNQ has helped hundreds of people from diverse backgrounds find work, access training, and further their education.
The Reaction Theory and BIPOC Arts Australia provided opportunities in theatre for 15 emerging culturally diverse artists in order to foster sustainable and culturally safe arts practices.
Their co-production Scenes from a Yellow Peril by Nathan Joe used theatre as a powerful tool to explore themes of migration, orientalism and otherness.