Multicultural Women Leaders Celebrated at Parliament House
Multicultural women leaders celebrating with awards at Parliament House – Image created by ChatGPT with DALL·E by OpenAI.
VOCABULARY LIST
Gathering (noun) /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/: a meeting or event
A big gathering was held at Parliament House to celebrate women leaders.Honour (verb) /ˈɒnə/: to show respect or recognise achievements
The event was organised to honour multicultural women.Tribute (noun) /ˈtrɪbjut/: a special act to show respect
They showed a video tribute during the ceremony.Acknowledge (verb) /əkˈnɒlɪdʒ/: to recognise or give thanks
The MP acknowledged the work of community leaders.Announcement (noun) /əˈnaʊnsmənt/: an official statement
There was an announcement about the Super 20 Women of 2026.Chuffed (adjective, informal) /tʃʌft/: very pleased or proud
Many winners felt chuffed to be recognised.Influential (adjective) /ˌɪnfluˈenʃəl/: having a strong effect or power
She is an influential figure in her community.Resilience (noun) /rəˈzɪliəns/: the ability to recover from challenges
The event celebrated women’s resilience.Push for (phrasal verb) /pʊʃ fɔ/: to try to achieve or promote something
There is a strong push for equality in Australia.Make a difference (phrase) /meɪk ə ˈdɪfrəns/: to have an important positive effect
These women are making a difference in their communities.
ARTICLE
A special gathering was held at Melbourne’s Parliament House to honour multicultural women leaders for International Women’s Day 2026. The event brought together community advocates, business leaders and politicians to celebrate women who are making a difference across Victoria.
The event was organised by Parmila Tandon and took place on 13 March. A total of 20 women were recognised for their work in areas like business, law, community service and social advocacy.
Victorian MP Steve McGhie attended and acknowledged the important role of multicultural communities. Other well-known community leaders were also there, including Cuc Lam, Kim Thien Truong and Pradeep Tiwari.
The program began with a tribute to Mitu Bhowmick Lange and Christina Chia, recognising their contributions to the arts, business and multicultural representation. A video was shown to highlight their achievements.
One key moment of the night was the announcement of the “Super 20 Women of 2026”. These women were recognised for being influential leaders in different fields.
Many of the winners said they felt chuffed to be honoured for their hard work. The group included entrepreneurs, lawyers, directors and community leaders who have shown strong resilience in their careers.
The event also acknowledged several community contributors who continue to support multicultural engagement across Victoria.
Overall, the evening highlighted the important role multicultural women play in Australia’s society and economy. It also reinforced the ongoing push for equality, leadership and opportunity for women across the country.
SOURCE:
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Reflection Questions
Instructions:
Use these questions as:
– Speaking practice (e.g. talk to yourself, record and listen back)
– Writing practice (e.g. short paragraph answers)
– Class discussion with your teacher or classmates
Why do you think it is important to honour women leaders?
What kind of people make a difference in your community?
Have you ever attended a special gathering or celebration? What was it like?
What qualities make someone an influential leader?
How can people push for equality in their country?
Comprehension activity - multiple choice
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