On 17 November 2022, Ethnolink, Australia’s leading multicultural communications agency, successfully hosted CULTURELINK 2022 – a ground-breaking multicultural communications summit.
Held at the stunning QT Melbourne, the event brought together 60 communications professionals from across the government and community sectors to discuss best practices for engaging and communicating with multicultural audiences.
As Australia’s population becomes increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, effective engagement and communication with multicultural communities is crucial. CULTURELINK 2022 provided valuable insights and actionable strategies for attendees looking to improve their outreach. A canapé breakfast and barista coffee were also served.
The program for CULTURELINK 2022 included presentations from leading experts on engaging multicultural communities beyond COVID-19, producing animated videos to drive engagement and accessible communications.
The keynote presentation, “When black is white and white is black: Navigating communications in multilingual and multicultural societies,” was delivered by Dr Erika Gonzalez.
In her keynote, Dr Gonzalez discussed the challenges and opportunities of communicating in multilingual and multicultural societies. She emphasised the importance of understanding the diversity within these communities and the need for tailored communication strategies that take into account language, culture and context.
Ethnolink’s founder and CEO, Costa Vasili, served as the MC for the event and also presented on the topic of “Rethinking multicultural campaigns: A best practice case study.”
In his presentation, Vasili discussed the importance of understanding the unique needs and perspectives of multicultural communities when developing marketing and communications campaigns. He shared best practices and strategies for creating campaigns that effectively engage and resonate with these audiences.
“It was an honour to host and speak at CULTURELINK 2022,” said Vasili. “At Ethnolink, we’re passionate about supporting and advancing multicultural communications in Australia. This summit was a great opportunity to bring together experts and practitioners to share knowledge and best practices, and to help advance the field.”
Attendees also heard from the incredible Mandy Griffiths of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, who discussed the impact of COVID-19 on multicultural communities. She emphasised the need for continued outreach and support during this challenging time, as many multicultural communities have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Anthony Lam, of Punchy Digital Media, shared his experience producing animated videos to engage multicultural audiences. He discussed the benefits of using animation for multicultural audiences, and shared tips for creating effective and engaging animated videos.
Liz Reynolds, from the Suburban Rail Loop Authority, discussed the importance of effective communication with South Asian communities in Victoria. She shared best practices for engaging with these communities and highlighted the unique challenges and opportunities in this area.
In addition, Sean de Krester, from the Information Access Group, presented on the topic of “Accessible communications, more than just ticking the box.” In his presentation, de Krester discussed the importance of making communications accessible for all Australians and how well-written communications can help the translation process.
CULTURELINK 2022 was a valuable and informative event for professionals working in multicultural communications. Attendees had the opportunity to learn from experts, network with like-minded professionals, and gain valuable insights in this rapidly growing field.
The inaugural CULTURELINK summit was a resounding success, with attendees praising the valuable insights and networking opportunities offered at the event. On the back of this success, Ethnolink has announced plans to host CULTURELINK summits across Australia in 2023.
“We’re thrilled with the response to CULTURELINK 2022, and we’re excited to bring these events to other cities across Australia in the coming year,” said Vasili.
Ethnolink would like to thank all attendees and speakers for making CULTURELINK 2022 a success. We look forward to continuing to support and advance multicultural communications in Australia.
