Ballarat’s diversity celebrated as three-year Intercultural Plan progress presented to Council

Ballarat City Council has acknowledged significant progress on the Intercultural Plan 2022-2026, following an implementation update presented at the Council Meeting on 25 March 2026.

Endorsed in October 2022, the plan provides a clear framework for how the City of Ballarat works with culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities, including recently arrived residents.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves praised the work taking place across the city to celebrate how diversity positively shapes Ballarat’s social, civic, economic and cultural fabric.

“Our diversity continues to shape Ballarat into a welcoming and vibrant community. People from many cultures, backgrounds and faiths call Ballarat home, each contributing to the character and spirit of our city,” she said.

“The recent 2026 Harmony Fest was a beautiful celebration of the many cultures across our community. We saw approximately 1000 people take part in Harmony in the Bridge in March. We also hosted Cultural Diversity Week Storytime sessions and Ballarat’s biggest playgroup.

“There is still always more work to do to remove barriers to participation in community life. The Intercultural Plan makes cultural safety a central part of how we plan, deliver services and set priorities. It ensures that people from culturally and religiously diverse backgrounds are included, heard and supported in Council’s everyday work.”

The implementation report presented to Council Wednesday night outlines strong progress across a range of programs, partnerships and community initiatives throughout the third year of the plan, including:

• Harmony Fest 2025. Delivery of 22 community‑led events, including seven hosted by the City of Ballarat, attracting more than 4,000 attendees across the 12-day festival.
• Harmony in the Mall 2025. Activated the newly redeveloped Bridge Mall with around 1,900 attendees enjoying cultural performances, art, food and a Parade of Nations.
• Yangzhou Friendship City Anniversary. Celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Friendship City Agreement in September 2025, where Ballarat sent a delegation to Yangzhou, China. The Mayor formally signed a further five‑year agreement.
• Ainaro Partnership Agreement. In November 2025, a partnership agreement was signed between the City of Ballarat and the Municipality of Ainaro in Timor Leste. This was a key action of the Ainaro Community Development Action Plan 2024-2029.
• Intercultural Garden Program. Four cultural garden displays celebrating diverse traditions and stories including the launch of an annual public art display in partnership with Creative Ballarat and Multicultural Arts Victoria. 11 community events and three candlelight vigils were held in 2025.
• Intercultural Ambassadors Program. Ambassadors served as keynote speakers at five Citizenship Ceremonies, supported the planning and delivery of Harmony Fest and provided regular feedback on the Intercultural Action Plan through the Intercultural Advisory Committee.
• Intercultural Services Directory. The directory now includes information on 65 local cultural groups, associations and support services.

Implementation of the current plan remains strong, with 29 actions completed, 30 actions continuing as ongoing or annual commitments, and only three actions paused or identified as out of scope. 

The Intercultural Plan 2022–2026 was developed in partnership with people with lived experience and informed by the expertise of the Intercultural Advisory Committee, local cultural organisations, community groups and individuals.

Development of the next Intercultural Plan 2027–2031 will take place throughout 2026 to ensure continued momentum and responsiveness to community needs.

Community engagement activities to support the development of the new Intercultural Plan will begin in May, providing residents and community groups with the opportunity to share their experiences and priorities.

Community members are encouraged to subscribe to the City of Ballarat MySay emails to stay updated on engagement opportunities.