Multicultural Ambassadors
Ten local residents from nine different nations were recently announced as Ballarat’s first ever official multicultural ambassadors. Appointed for two years, the role of the Multicultural Ambassadors is to provide leadership within Ballarat’s growing migrant community. Council adopted the Migrant Attraction and Retention Population Strategy in 2005, recognising that the attraction and retention of skilled migrants, in particular, was integral to Ballarat growing as a city - a city of increasing diversity, tolerance and prosperity. The Ambassadors will assist Council, migrants and the wider community to ensure multiculturalism is a productive and positive experience for all citizens. The multicultural ambassadors are a mixture of professionals and retirees who have migrated to Australia at some point during the last fifty years. Newly appointed multicultural ambassador Peter Rademaker, who emigrated from Holland to Australia with his family as a child, said he was looking forward to the role. “I think it’s important to acknowledge the history and experiences of past migration,” Mr Rademaker said. “I look forward to applying the lessons from my own migration experience and using them to assist migrants, Council and the community to plan for future migration to Ballarat.” The Ambassadors will undertake an extensive orientation program, establish a Code of Conduct and identify special projects to develop before undertaking community engagement activities to represent the Ballarat Migration Project and the multicultural community. Our Multicultural Ambassadors are: Ballarat's first Multicultural Ambassador program demonstrates Council's serious and pro-active approach to attracting and retaining new citizens. the ambassadors will assist Council, migrants and the wider community in ensuring multiculturalism is a productive and positive experience. Multicultural Ambassadors are available for presentations to schools, community groups, and service clubs. Multicultural Ambassadors Booklet 2006 For more information please contact Narelle Hibberd, Executive Officer Ballarat Migration Project on (03) 5320 5180 or email narellehibberd@ballarat.vic.gov.au