At every Members Meeting, I am left amazed and inspired by the incredible work coming from our communities. It is this dedication that motivates me to keep doing what we are doing. I would like to thank everyone that attended the meeting both in person and online. The atmosphere felt lively and empowering, thanks to our speakers and everyone who shared in the open mic session. At this celebratory meeting I enjoyed listening to some of your journeys, achievements, and successes. I want to take a moment to express my encouragement and urge you to continue your remarkable work. Well done!
At ECCQ we are committed to playing our part to do everything we can to ensure that CALD women have every opportunity to maximize their potential. I made a special announcement at this Members Meeting to mark the opening of the ECCQ Advancing Women Scholarships closing at 11:59pm, Thursday 28 September 2023. We have partnered with local leaders, professionals, and business to develop two scholarship opportunities for culturally diverse women residing in Queensland. These scholarships recognise the contribution of women to making our society more equitable and inclusive. This is why the Cleo Xynias Multicultural Woman of the Year Scholarship is in recognition of the wife of Nick Xynias AO BEM, a co-founder of ECCQ in 1976. Cleo Xynias dedicated her life to ensure the advancement of multicultural Australians through her support and dedication to her family and community.
This is an exciting opportunity that we hope to be a steppingstone for the deserving recipients, and I would like to encourage you all to share this with eligible women in your networks. We look forward to announcing the scholarship winners at ECCQ’s International Women’s Day Event in March 2024.
This Multicultural Queensland Month, I got to celebrate with many of our communities involved in advancing multiculturalism, inclusion, and equity for our state. I attended lots of events, and my key takeaway was that there is strength in diversity, each culture represented brings a unique perspective and a wealth of knowledge and traditions that contribute to the tapestry that makes up our society. I look forward to closing this month at the Multicultural Queensland Awards to honor these valuable contributions.
Whilst ECCQ acknowledges the recent advancements from the Government in supporting multicultural communities, we also know that success is achieved best when it is community led. We are consistently engaging with decision makers, with your expertise and lived experience, through policy submissions and advocacy meetings. If you are interested to share your suggestions for changes to the policy settings at a federal level in ways to promote multiculturalism in Australia, please join one of the upcoming consultations.
