Gurinder is a practicing Sikh and was born in northern state of India, called Punjab. She is an IT professional and migrated to Australia in 2006. Gurinder has worked with Telstra, Department of Immigration and now working as Business Analyst with Australian Taxation Office.

Gurinder is involved with a number of community projects including turban awareness within schools and workplaces. She is the president of Sikh Community Connections, a non-for-profit organisation.

In 2019, Gurinder won the Westfield Local Heroes Award for Plenty Valley. Gurinder has been involved in the Whittlesea Interfaith Network since 2016.

Amrita, originally from Nepal, moved to Melbourne in 2008 as an international student. She is a Trainer & Assessor with a not-for-profit organisation and an active advocate for multicultural engagement. Amrita has contributed to several Nepalese and multicultural organisations, including the Australian Nepalese Multicultural Centre, Didi Bahini Samaj Victoria, Victorian Multicultural Commission, Whittlesea Community Connections, and the Australian Nepalese Senior Citizen Society.
Currently, she serves as President of the Nepalese Neighbourhood Community Inc. and has been a member of the Whittlesea Interfaith Network since 2023. In 2024, Amrita received the Community Leader Award from the Nepalese Association of Victoria (NAV) in recognition of her ongoing service.

Glenys has been a practising Christian, in the Anglican tradition, her whole life. She was a Primary School teacher for about 10 years, before further study, and moving into the field of Special Education, where she worked for more than 25 years. During all this time she was also involved in Christian Education for children. Glenys assisted in writing the program for the State Schools Christian Education program and lessons, which was used from 1974 until the late1990’s. In retirement, Glenys worked as a volunteer, teaching Christian Education in a number of schools. She continues to run “Messy Church”, which is a less formal Christian Education for children, in her Parish Church of St Peter’s Anglican Church, Bundoora. Glenys has been involved in the Whittlesea Interfaith Network since 2007 and has been Secretary since 2008.

Osama Akkad is a dedicated and accomplished individual with a strong passion for community leadership and youth empowerment. Currently pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne and a Diploma in Arabic Studies, he combines academic excellence with a commitment to service.

His leadership is evident in his role as a Youth Councillor for the City of Whittlesea and as the Assistant Secretary for the Interfaith Network. As a Student Mentor & Alumni Development Lead at his alma mater, Al Siraat College, he guides and inspires the next generation of young leaders, drawing on his own VCE experience. Osama’s dedication has been recognized with the VCE Leadership Award and the Long Tan Youth Leadership & Teamwork Award.

An aspiring doctor, Osama is focused on making a meaningful impact and building a stronger community through his varied experiences. He is a testament to the power of fresh student perspectives and a clear vision for the future.

Dr. Sarvesh Soni is a dedicated executive in the Australian Government, where he applies his expertise in science policy to serve the nation. As a practicing Hindu, he proudly embraces his Indian heritage and actively contributes to Australia’s multicultural community. His career is distinguished by a unique blend of scientific insight and cultural empathy, making him a respected figure in both academic and civic life.

A passionate educator and community leader, Dr. Soni’s commitment has been widely recognized. He was named the 2024–25 City of Whittlesea Citizen of the Year and received the 2025 Dharamchakra Award for Interfaith Harmony from the Buddhist Council of Victoria. In his role as an executive member of the Whittlesea Interfaith Network, he works to promote unity and understanding among diverse faiths, and is deeply committed to empowering youth leadership.

Farzaneh is a dedicated woman from Baha’i community who made herself available to many different services and working tirelessly, spending endless hours in an effort to reach the most successful result for many years.
Farzaneh has received “Victoria’s Multicultural Excellence Award” by the Governor of Victoria, and the Premier, twice, in 2009 and 2010.
She also has received International Women’s Day Award in Whittlesea in 2010.
Within her own Baha’i beliefs she deeply believes the Earth is but one country and mankind is its citizens.