Is Canberra multicultural? Exploring the City's diversity
- Josh Reading
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Beyond serving as Australia’s governmental centre, Canberra thrives as a dynamic multicultural city committed to diversity.
The city’s cultural diversity, multilingual communities, and rich traditions create an inviting atmosphere for people from all backgrounds. But is Canberra multicultural? Absolutely—and here are seven key reasons why Canberra stands out as an inclusive, multicultural hub.
1. A Diverse Population
Canberra’s population reflects global diversity, with over 26% of residents born overseas and almost one in four people speaking a language other than English at home. Languages such as Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Hindi are widely spoken, painting a rich linguistic and cultural mosaic across the city.👉
2. National Multicultural Festival
Every February, Canberra hosts the National Multicultural Festival, a vibrant three-day event celebrating cultural diversity. In 2025, the festival featured over 270 stalls and 200 performances, showcasing music, dance, cuisine, and traditions from more than 170 multicultural communities.
3. Support for Multicultural Communities
The ACT Government actively promotes multiculturalism through a range of supportive initiatives. Services include translation and interpretation, community language schools, and programs like the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), which offers free English classes to eligible migrants and refugees.
4. Cultural Events and Festivals
Beyond the National Multicultural Festival, Canberra celebrates cultural diversity year-round. Highlights include the Lunar New Year festivities in Dickson and the Africa Festival in the Park, where communities gather to experience African music, dance, and food.
5. Religious and Cultural
Canberra’s diverse religious landscape offers places of worship for people of many faiths, including churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues serving Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jewish communities. This inclusivity fosters a welcoming environment for individuals of all spiritual backgrounds. Now, as a Christian, I personally believe strongly in the Lord Jesus and am a part of the community of Divergent Church however, I also celebrate the freedom each person has to express their spiritual convictions in this city. If you have never been to Church, you should drop us a line and come some time :)
6. Educational Support for Diversity
Canberra’s public schools embrace diversity by offering English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) programs to support students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Community language schools further enhance cultural learning, teaching Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Hindi, and more.
7. Community Engagement and Support
The Multicultural Hub Canberra provides resources and event spaces for multicultural groups to meet, collaborate, and celebrate their cultures.
The ACT Multicultural Advisory Council ensures that diverse voices are represented in policymaking and community initiatives.
Bonus: Explore Divergent Church Canberra
For those looking to connect faith with Canberra’s multicultural spirit, Divergent Church offers a welcoming faith community.
With locations across Canberra and Queanbeyan, Divergent Church embraces people from diverse cultural backgrounds that fosters connection through Life Communities—small groups meeting across the city to explore faith and build relationships.
Canberra demonstrates its commitment to multiculturalism through its diverse population, inclusive policies, cultural celebrations, and community engagement.
Whether you’re a resident or visitor, the city offers a warm, welcoming environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone has a place to belong.
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