A Baptist pastor, a refugee advocate, and a construction industry leader are among seven winners recognised at the Queensland Government’s annual Multicultural Queensland Awards winners.
The 2025 winners were celebrated at a ceremony at Logan Entertainment Centre, in recognition of their efforts to build a more inclusive, harmonious and diverse Queensland.
The awards were a fitting finale to Multicultural Queensland Month, celebrated throughout August, which included highlights such as LUMINOUS Parades in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, India Fest in Townsville, the Cairns Italian Festival, as well as performances on the multicultural stage during the Ekka.
Baptist pastor Emil Rahimov received the Minister’s Multicultural Award for his tireless work supporting migrant and refugee communities and fostering interfaith and cross-cultural harmony.
Emil hoped his award will encourage others in their volunteering efforts.
“I stand on the shoulders of others who started long before me,” Emil said.
“I hope someone will stand on my shoulders one day and say that ‘Emil inspired me to serve’.”
Maisha Bora program (Cairns) – Multicultural Sector Outstanding Achiever (Organisation) for empowering migrant and refugee women through skills training and community connections.
John Holland Group – Diversity and Inclusion Champion (Organisation) for its paid internship program for refugees and migrants, and inclusive workplace policies.
Ben Maiyo (Ipswich) – Outstanding Contribution by a New Queenslander for his volunteering efforts during Cyclone Alfred, the North Queensland floods, and his community outreach.
Lolla Ingadottir (Townsville) – Diversity and Inclusion Champion (Individual) for her work spearheading initiatives such as NQ Connect and NQ First Nations Connect.
Raewyn Burton (Brisbane) – Multicultural Sector Outstanding Achiever (Individual) for her work as a volunteer and advocate for Pacific Islanders and multicultural inmates in prison and in immigration detention.
Irene Bayldon (Brisbane) – Lifetime Achiever for her work volunteering in the community sector for over 35 years.
The full list of winners and their awards is available at Multicultural Queensland Awards.
Last reviewed:03 September 2025
Last modified:03 September 2025
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