SA Governor’s Multicultural Awards recognise 13 people in nine categories

The unsung heroes of South Australia’s multicultural community have been recognised at an annual awards ceremony at Government House. See all the winners here.

Joint winners of the senior volunteer award at the Governor's annual multicultural awards are Leila Mansour and Raymond Sardana. Picture: Mark Brake

For decades they have worked tirelessly, out of the spotlight, volunteering their time to enhance the cause of multiculturalism in the community.

But on Tuesday night, Leila Mansour and Raymond Sardana were centre stage and recognised as joint winners of the senior volunteer award at the annual Governor’s Multicultural Awards.

The pair was among 13 winners recognised in nine categories at a ceremony in the gardens of Government House. Mrs Mansour has volunteered for more than 40 years, especially among the Lebanese and Maronite communities, helping new arrivals through the SA Lebanese Women’s Association.

She has also volunteered with the Multicultural Communities Council of SA and the Multicultural Women’s Leadership program.

Judges said her leadership in sharing frequently changing information on matters of finance, health and wellbeing had been vital in helping cultural and linguistically diverse communities stay up to date.

Mr Sardana has been a stalwart of the Indian community for decades, most particularly with his involvement with multicultural community radio station 5EBI. He has trained many volunteer presenters, including providing hands-on advice about legal, community services, health and wellbeing matters.

The annual multicultural awards are now in their 13th year and hold a special place in the heart of governor Hieu Van Le, who arrived in Australia as a refugee from Vietnam more than 40 years ago.

“I am very proud of how they (these awards) acknowledge the achievements of many outstanding South Australian individuals and organisations that have a common passion for promoting intercultural understanding and the many benefits of cultural diversity in our community,” he said.

“Each of the nominees, finalists and award recipients have made an outstanding contribution to, and play an important role in, making Australia arguably the most successful multicultural society in the world.”

ARTS AND CULTURE AWARD - (JOINT WINNERS)

ActNow Theatre

A professional theatre company established in 2007, ActNow was praised for their interactive arts projects and school programs focused on social justice. Its flagship programs ‘Responding to Racism’ and ‘Generation of Change’ support high-school students to identify and respond to racism, promoting another version of these programs for junior primary school students. More broadly, ActNow has devised what it calls the Theatre of the Global Majority, which engages aspiring artists from a diverse range of countries including Kenya, Bosnia, Sudan, India, and Singapore, to promote multiculturalism and increase understanding of cultural diversity in the world around us.

Food Tours Australia

Since 2003, Food Tours Australia has promoted harmony and understanding through people’s love of food. Its enduringly popular excursions of Adelaide Central Market showcase cultural diversity, and how businesses big and small are contributing to South Australia as an inclusive, outward looking society. The tours have helped locals to know their home-town and introduced national and international visitors to the heart of Adelaide. Some 150 schools have also taken part, giving students an opportunity to discuss their own heritage with pride and empowering them to discuss the kind of world they want to live in now and into the future.

COMMUNITY SECTOR

Grandparents For Grandchildren

Supported by dedicated volunteers, Grandparents for Grandchildren has provided services to grandparents and kinship carers for the past 18 years. There are many carers who need support in difficult situations, especially in regional areas. The service has reached out to communities from Ceduna to Mount Gambier, Port Pirie and Port Augusta, delivering particular benefit to Aboriginal communities, as well as a wide range of migrant communities. It provides advocacy services, assists with educational needs and supports those who need counselling and other services.

MEDIA

Ethnic Broadcasters Incorporated

For more than 45 years, 5EBI has been broadcasting to South Australians, inspiring and celebrating multiculturalism. It broadcasts in 44 different languages each week and the station’s team of more than 200 volunteers have played a critical role keeping people informed, up-to-date and safe during the ever-changing COVID-19 crisis. The station, which produces more than 120 hours of local content each week, actually grew during the pandemic, introducing several new programs and worked with the government to ensure critical public health messages were reaching people in non-English speaking families.

PRIVATE SECTOR

City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre was founded in 2018, with a vision to improve healthcare for the under-serviced and rapidly growing international population in Adelaide. Since then, they have served 150,000 patients and young families. Health awareness campaigns in multiple languages were launched, resulting in more than 2000 cervical screenings, 5000 HPV vaccinations and some 10,000 flu vaccinations. The staff provide onsite support and translation services and have started a Wechat platform on social media to assist and support the community – not just the clinic’s patients. Through their work, the City Medical Centre has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the local multicultural community.

PUBLIC SECTOR

Department for Education Bilingual and Cultural Support EALD Student Support Services Team

The collaborative effort of the Department for Education’s bilingual team to support culturally and linguistically diverse students has grown in reach and impact over almost 20 years. It’s all the more impressive that the team’s Cultural Liaison Officers are themselves from more than a dozen language backgrounds, with lived migration experience that informs their endeavours – something that has been especially valuable during COVID-19. This team has shown personability, empathy and genuine engagement to support the inclusion and advancement of potentially vulnerable students, especially in the face of adversity.

Highly Commended Finalist

Miss Narges Ghulam Rasool

The skill, empathy and understanding Narges Ghulam Rasool has applied to her role with the Department for Child Protection goes beyond her job description, to not just secure culturally appropriate placements for Afghan children needing care, but to foster a relationship between the department and the community. Her commitment helps families to understand the child protection system, and assists her co-workers to understand Afghan family practices – leading the better assessment and positive outcomes.

VOLUNTEER

Mr Nayan Perera

For 20 years, Nayan Perera has dedicated his time to the advancement of the Sri Lankan community. He was instrumental in establishing the state’s first Sri Lankan Buddhist temple. Nayan has been a devoted member of the organising committee of the Annual Sri Lankan New Year celebration for more than 10 years. He is also the president of the Sinhala Broadcasting Service, and personally hosts a broadcast every week. He has also been involved in fund raising to support Radio Adelaide. Nayan additionally mentors’ overseas students, demonstrating a deep commitment to multiculturalism. Judges praised his dedication to creating and supporting cross-cultural bonds between multicultural communities and the broader Australian society.

SENIOR VOLUNTEER - (JOINT WINNERS)

Mrs Leila Mansour

Leila Mansour has shown an ongoing volunteering commitment that has benefitted a diverse group of communities and ages over more than 40 years. In her early work she helped the disadvantaged and vulnerable in the Maronite community and assisted new arrivals through her board work with the South Australian Lebanese Women’s Association. Leila has gone on to contribute more broadly through her volunteering with Multicultural Communities Council of SA and the Multicultural Women’s Leadership Program. Her leadership in sharing frequently changing information on matters of finance, health and wellbeing has been vital in helping culturally and linguistically diverse communities to stay up to date in these important areas.

Mr Raymond Sardana

Raymond Sardana is described as a stalwart of the Indian Community through a variety of roles over several decades, but most particularly with his involvement in Indian Community radio and broadcasts on 5EBI. He has trained numerous community members as radio presenters, enabling them to improve their knowledge of multiculturalism in South Australia and gain confidence. Raymond has been a source of ongoing advice to community members regarding legal and community services, health and wellbeing, and continues to take a very ‘hands-on’ role in his volunteering.

YOUTH

Mr Qasem Bahmanzadah

Qasem Bahmanzadah has been an outstanding leader since arriving in Australia from Afghanistan. His many community achievements, both past and present, include Youth Ambassador and Peer Leader with the Australian Refugee Association, a mentor with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience, Vice President of the Mawson Students Network and mentor for Spire Coaching. Qasem has used his exceptional leadership skills to inspire and motivate others. As a community catalyst, Qasem has encouraged young refugees to advance themselves and become an integral part of the South Australian community. He is passionate about youth empowerment, supporting and helping those in need. Judges praised Qasem as a determined young man with a great future.

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT – (JOINT WINNERS)

Mr Hussain Razaiat

Hussain Razaiat arrived by boat as an asylum seeker from Afghanistan, spending time in detention before securing a Temporary Protection Visa. His desire to help others and contribute to the community led to him working with government to settle new arrivals, and to provide volunteer services to Temporary Protection Visa holders across Australia, including those isolated in regional areas. In 2001, Hussain formed the Afghan United Association of South Australia, and established a community centre to support engagement with the broader South Australian community. He mobilised the community to volunteer and make contributions to support the bushfire crisis. His work over more than 10 years with the Middle Eastern Communities Council of South Australia has contributed to intercultural harmony, and strengthened the social fabric of South Australia, by ensuring positive community representation through the annual Nowruz, Harmony Day celebrations, Eid celebrations, and Refugee Week. He is a member of the board of the Hazara Council of Australia and an Australian representative on the World Hazara Council. More recently during the COVID-19 pandemic he provided practical support by establishing a Multilingual telephone service, and working with SA Health to strengthen community understanding of government guidelines. He has worked tirelessly within his own community, the broader Australian community, and the international community, to further the interests of human rights and social justice. He is an understated, modest, and effective advocate for the promotion of multiculturalism and social harmony.

Mr Roger Lean

Roger Lean has worked in the area of multiculturalism for the better part of his working life, commencing with the Catholic Education Office as a researcher, and with the Multicultural Education Committee. He joined the South Australian Public Service in 1997 and over the course of the following 24 years working in multicultural affairs he earned the trust and respect of hundreds of multicultural organisations. Roger has been a trusted conduit between multicultural communities and successive state governments. He has been instrumental in ensuring ongoing engagement with different cultural groups, and his familiarity with, and understanding of, the cultures and sub-cultures has assisted in the development of multicultural policy both within the state and nationally. Roger has been a trusted Adviser to the respective chairs of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission, and the various Ministers for Multicultural Affairs during the period of his work. He has a passion for the promotion of multiculturalism in South Australia that extends well beyond a position description, and his dedication and commitment has made the state a better place.