Ethnolink Summit: Australia’s largest multicultural communications event returns to Melbourne

We were honoured to host the Ethnolink Summit in Melbourne at Zinc, Federation Square, bringing together over 250 communicators and marketers from across Australia to delve into the crucial topic of engaging with multicultural and First Nations communities.

The day was filled with inspiring conversations, valuable insights, and a shared commitment to making multicultural communications a central focus in the industry.

Costa Vasili facilitating a panel discussion.The theme of the day, Making Multicultural Communications Mainstream, set the tone for discussions on how to better connect with diverse audiences across Australia. A key message that resonated throughout the summit was the importance of moving beyond translation to truly understand and engage with the cultures that make up our vibrant nation. This sentiment was echoed in the thoughtful and inspiring presentations by our incredible lineup of speakers from government, not-for-profit, academia and industry.

Throughout the day, speakers tackled a range of topics, from understanding Victoria’s diverse communities to creating content that resonates with multicultural audiences and engaging Chinese residents in Australia. They also emphasised the importance of including community voices, applying First Nations cultural engagement, and improving health translations. The sessions offered attendees practical strategies for more effective connections with Australia’s multicultural and First Nations communities.

The Ethnolink Summit kicked off with an empowering opening address by Vivienne Nguyen AM from the Victorian Multicultural Commission. Her words set the stage for a day dedicated to the power of cultural diversity and inclusion.

Costa Vasili opened the first session of presentations with reflections on Ethnolink’s 13-year journey, sharing key insights on driving multicultural communication. The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing then explored the diversity within Victoria’s multicultural communities. Punchy Digital Media provided practical strategies for creating culturally relevant content, while Brand Asia offered a guide on engaging Chinese residents in Australia. The National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council highlighted the impactful role of community media in amplifying multicultural voices.

This session of presentations led into an insightful panel discussion, moderated by Costa, where the speakers tackled topics like the future of digital media, boosting cultural fluency, and tapping into the influence of community leaders. It was a session packed with actionable takeaways for attendees looking to enhance their engagement with diverse communities.

After morning tea, the focus turned to the practical side of multicultural communication. Rachael Adams shared the importance of including community voices in multicultural communications, while Little Rocket explored First Nations cultural engagement and meaningful campaign strategies. This was followed by an interactive roundtable discussion, where attendees exchanged ideas and gained fresh perspectives on multicultural communications and share their insights, ideas and learning with the audience.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted to health communication and its impact on diverse populations. Orygen shared strategies for translating suicide prevention resources, while The Royal Children’s Hospital discussed making pediatric health services more accessible. Health Translations stressed the role of translated materials in promoting equity, and Umbrella Multicultural Community Care highlighted languages as assets. A panel discussion followed, addressing the importance of culturally appropriate communication in reducing health disparities.

Later in the day, Anthony Pym, Professor of Translation Studies at The University of Melbourne, took the stage to explore how machine translation can be optimised for emergency communication. Holly Seale, Associate Dean at the University of New South Wales, closed the day with a keynote on the critical role community connectors play during health emergencies, leaving attendees with much to reflect on as they wrapped up the day’s sessions.

We extend our deepest thanks to all our attendees and speakers for their knowledge, wisdom, and contributions throughout the day and to our great Auslan interpreters for supporting the event. Vivienne Nguyen AM, Anthony Pym, Jessica Mathew, Anthony Lam, Sherry Xu, Juan Paolo Legaspi, Rachael Adams, Michelle Lamblin, Amanda Sabo, Roberto Venturini, Cate Harris, Anni Tillack-Benton, Blossom Ah Ket, John Burgess, and our keynote speaker Holly Seale—all brought their expertise and passion to the table, leaving us with much to reflect on and take forward.

In reflecting on the Ethnolink Summit, we are reminded of the importance of cultural understanding, the power of language, and the need to build bridges rather than barriers in our communications. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue leading these conversations and look forward to making an even greater impact in the future as we strive to shape the future of multicultural communications in Australia.

Another special thank you to our valued sponsors who made Ethnolink Summit 2024 possible—Punchy Digital Media, NAATI and Health Translations.

Interested in attending our next summit?

Ethnolink Summit is the perfect opportunity to network with peers, build new connections and hear from thought-leaders on how we can all work together to connect Australia through language.

We’re always exploring new cities to bring Australia’s largest multicultural communications event to even more audiences—stay tuned for where the next Ethnolink Summit will take place!

Join the waitlist to be the first to know.