June 27-- Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Nicholas Kotsiras today announced a boost in funding from the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship (OMAC) to the Buddhist Council of Victoria (BCV), bringing the total funding commitment to $80,000 over two years.
Image Source: http://www.bcv.org.au/
“The Victorian Coalition Government’s partnership with the BCV supports this organisation to strengthen its own infrastructure and capacity in order to better engage, represent and support Victoria’s ethnically and linguistically diverse Buddhist community,” Mr Kotsiras said.
Established in 1996, the BCV is the peak organisation for Victoria’s diverse Buddhist community.
It brings together representatives from the State’s various Buddhist traditions to discuss shared concerns and priorities, and seeks to represent Victoria’s Buddhist community to Government and the wider Victorian community.
The BCV also undertakes a range of projects that engage and support the broader Buddhist community.
“This increase in support funding will assist the BCV to more effectively recruit and train its volunteers, who are the backbone of this and every community organisation, and to strengthen its delivery of a range of vital outreach programs,” Mr Kotsiras said.
OMAC sits within the Department of Premier and Cabinet and manages a number of strategic partnerships with peak faith and multi-faith community organisations, as part of the Coalition Government’s community harmony investment.
These partnerships seek to support stronger co-operative relationships between faith communities and the wider community, for the benefit of all Victorians.
“Victoria’s reputation as a multicultural success story reflects our ability and determination to support our many cultural, linguistic and religious communities to preserve their heritage and traditions, while engaging and sharing with the wider Victorian community,” Mr Kotsiras said.
According to the 2011 Census, the Buddhist community grew by more than 27 per cent over the preceding five years, and is now the State’s largest non-Christian community, with nearly 170,000 members from a range of ethnic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds.