Cash backs cross-cultural groups

Cash backs cross-cultural groups SIX local multicultural organisations have been granted funding to deliver various projects via the Victorian government’s 2025-26 multicultural capacity building program. Five of the groups – Multicultural Connect Central Victoria ($29,976) The Great Stupa of Universal Compassion ($29,872), Bendigo Islamic Association ($25,500), Golden Dragon Museum ($15,000) and Bodhi Dhamma Buddhist Association Bendigo ($13,950) were awarded under the medium stream category for organisations that have a reach of more than 250 people. Meanwhile, traditional Central Javanese ensemble Mugi Rahay Gamelan Inc. was awarded $2500 under the small stream category for organisations that reach less than 250 people and have an annual revenue of below $100,000. Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards said Victoria is a proudly diverse state and her party stands with multicultural and multifaith Victorians as they make both Bendigo and Victoria stronger. “Grassroots multicultural organisations are the lifeblood of our communities,” she said. “We’re backing them in with funding so they can continue to ensure that all Victorians can fully enjoy our state’s vibrant and inclusive society.” Premier and Bendigo East MP Jacinta Allan said grassroots multicultural organisations are supported because they contribute so much to the region. “In Bendigo we are proud to be supporting so many different multicultural groups because we know they do such incredible work,” she said. According to the last Census, as of 10 August 2021 22.8 per cent of City of Greater Bendigo residents had been born overseas and 14.8 per cent were speaking a language other than English at home. The top five languages were Karen, Mandarin, Nepali, Punjabi and Filipino/Tagalog.