The NSW Government has opened nominations for the 2027 Multicultural Community Medals and Honour Roll, inviting people across New South Wales to nominate individuals and organizations making outstanding contributions to the state’s multicultural communities.
The prestigious awards recognise community leaders, volunteers, advocates and organisations whose work helps strengthen inclusion, belonging and understanding between people from different cultural backgrounds. The Multicultural Honour Roll also provides posthumous recognition for leaders whose achievements and legacy have made a lasting contribution to NSW.
The awards recognise contributions across a broad range of areas, including community leadership, volunteering, advocacy, service delivery and initiatives that bring communities together. The program provides an opportunity to acknowledge people whose work may often take place behind the scenes but has a meaningful impact on families and communities.
Among the nomination categories is the Lifetime Community Service Medal, which recognises people who have provided 30 or more years of community service within a migrant community. Other categories recognise interpreters and translators, multicultural youth support initiatives, regional community contributions and the role of sport in promoting intercultural understanding.
The awards also recognise the important contribution of multicultural media. Categories include the Best Report in Multicultural Media, recognising excellence in journalism, and Multicultural Publication of the Year, which celebrates an outstanding multicultural media publication.
Other categories include the Interpreters and Translators Medal, Multicultural Youth Support Medal, Regional Unity Medal and Sports Medal. Together, the categories highlight the many different ways individuals and organisations contribute to NSW’s social, cultural and community life.
NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper encouraged people to nominate community members whose work is helping create a more inclusive and connected state. He highlighted the contribution of people supporting newly arrived communities, helping overcome language barriers and bringing people together through activities such as sport.
Multicultural NSW Acting CEO James Jegasothy also encouraged nominations, particularly for people whose dedication may not always receive wider public attention. He said the awards provide an opportunity to bring forward the stories of people who work consistently to support their communities.
The importance of recognising regional community contributions was also highlighted by Gargi Ganguly, winner of the 2026 Regional Unity Medal, sponsored by My Guardian Group. Ganguly said recognition through the awards demonstrated that community service in regional Australia matters and encouraged people to recognise those who build connections, support families, mentor young people and create opportunities.
Winners across the 13 Multicultural Community Medal categories, together with Honour Roll inductees, will be announced at the 2027 Premier’s Harmony Dinner. The annual event celebrates multiculturalism and the people and organisations contributing to the strength and success of NSW’s diverse communities.
Nominations for the 2027 awards will close on Sunday, 20 September 2026. Individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to multiculturalism, community harmony and inclusion in NSW can be nominated through the Multicultural NSW website.
The nomination process provides an opportunity for communities to recognise people whose contributions might otherwise go unnoticed. Whether through decades of service, support for young people, regional community work, sport, language services or multicultural journalism, the awards aim to highlight the people helping build stronger connections across NSW.
How to nominate:
Nominations close 20 September 2026. Further information and nomination details are available through Multicultural NSW – Multicultural Community Medals.
