In June 2023, Inala Community House hosted their first Inala Multicultural Festival. This event brought together families and organisations from the Inala region, allowing them to enjoy a wonderful day of entertainment, fun and appreciating the wonderful cultures that call Inala home.
This event didn’t happen overnight, in fact it took almost a year of planning, collaboration and work to put together all the pieces of this wonderful jigsaw. We spoke with Haley Kiata, our Community Engagement Manager about the process to create Inala Multicultural Festival and why events like this are so vital for the community.
Inala is characterised by an incredible community that is rich in different cultures. The inspiration for Inala Multicultural Festival was to create a safe and inclusive environment where people felt supported to share their culture. Despite it’s rich cultural make up, many families in the Inala region also face financial burdens, living in low socio-economic areas with barriers and discrimination. With these challenges in mind, Inala Multicultural Festival had to not only embrace and showcase the cultures, but it also had to be an event that wouldn’t pose barriers for those in the community to attend.
By offering the festival free of charge, the event aims to break down financial barriers and provide an inclusive and accessible experience for all residents of Inala and its surrounding areas. This initiative ensures that individuals and families who may otherwise be unable to afford such events can still enjoy a day of celebration and entertainment.
The event serves as a positive counterbalance by providing a safe and inclusive environment where people can come together, celebrate their cultural backgrounds, and foster a sense of unity and pride. The festival becomes a platform to showcase the richness and diversity of cultures present in the community, encouraging understanding, respect, and appreciation among different cultural groups. It helps to promote cultural exchange, combat stereotypes and prejudices, and build bridges between various communities.
To create an event of this magnitude, Inala Multicultural Festival reached out to local grant funders and governing bodies for support, pitching their vision of the festival and what would be needed to make it a reality. They received support from Brisbane City Council, Queensland Government and other community bodies.
The event not only offered a space of entertainment and fun, but Inala Community House also took the opportunity to highlight the support services and programs available in the community. Various support networks and organisations provided information about free services and support available locally. These networks include Metro South – Addiction Services, Services Australia – Correction and Parole, ECCQ – Multicultural Australia, QPASST, and others. Their presence at the event ensures that attendees can learn about and access the support they may require.
This was the first time that the Inala Multicultural Festival was run by Inala Community House and the event experienced immense success. There were over 3000 attendees across the day, 12 community organisations stalls, along with countless rides and cultural performers. There are already plans to bring on corporate support and sponsors to grow this event for future years.
Check out these awesome highlights from the day!