The driving force behind the Belgian Australian Excellence Awards, this Belgian-Australian entrepreneur wants to bring his community out of the shadows , and celebrate the talent making Belgium proud at the other end of the world.
Some ideas simmer for years before they come to life. For François Vantomme, the dream of creating an awards ceremony for the Belgian community in Australia had been brewing for a long time. He first brought the concept to fruition five years ago with the French Excellence Awards. Now, armed with a deeply personal conviction, “if we don’t say it ourselves, who will?” , he is launching the Belgian Australian Excellence Awards, in partnership with the Belgian Embassy, Flanders Investment Trade, and the AWEX. We sat down with a man on a mission to celebrate his own.
How did the idea for the Belgian Australian Excellence Awards come about?
It’s an idea I’d had in mind for several years. I first made it happen for the French community five years ago with the French Excellence Awards, as I had a strong network there through various professional experiences here in Australia. But I always had, deep down, the desire to replicate that event for my own country. Until now, Belgium had no real unifying event for the entire Belgian community , whether Flemish or Francophone. When the new Ambassador, Karl Stouthuysen, arrived, things moved very quickly: he too was looking to create an event that could reward and bring together the Belgian community. After a few meetings, we quickly realised we were on the same page, and decided to go for it.
Something else that was close to my heart was showing that the Belgian community is not as small as people might think. I love telling my friends, just to tease them, that with us Belgians, “it’s quality, not quantity!” Belgium has talent, and if we don’t say it ourselves, how can we expect others to believe it?
Behind every great idea are the people who say yes first. We will soon be announcing the sponsors and supporters who made the Belgian-Australian Excellence Awards possible — and who deserve as much recognition as the award recipients themselves.
The competition is divided into several categories. How were they chosen?
We didn’t want to copy-paste what the French community does. We sat down with the Embassy, Flanders Investment Trade and the AWEX to think about what truly reflects our community.
Arts & Culture was an obvious choice: Belgian culture is distinctive, with a unique identity born of our diversity. Gastronomy too, let’s never forget that chips are Belgian! Between our waffles, chocolate, carbonades flamandes and waterzooi, we are globally recognised. Entrepreneurship & Innovation tends to be the most popular category, because arriving in Australia often means creating your own path. Environment & Sustainability is very much a topic of our times, and Belgians have a great deal to contribute. Then there is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics): Belgium has a worldwide reputation in science, and we have brilliant researchers and professors across Australian universities. This is also a category where we particularly want to spotlight women contributing to STEM. And finally, Corporate Impact will recognise large Belgian companies that are true ambassadors of Belgian excellence in Australia.
Who can be nominated, and how does the process work?
These are not the Belgian Awards, they are the Belgian Australian Excellence Awards. The competition is open to both Belgians and Australians who contribute, through their work, to the relationship between our two countries. The only requirement is to be a resident in Australia.
Anyone can nominate someone: a friend, a colleague, a manager, or even yourself. When you run a one-person business, you have to be able to put yourself forward! Nominations are submitted via a Google Form on the LCN News website, with a name, contact details, a short biography and a photo. Nominations are open from 23 March to 13 April.
A community voting phase will then take place from 20 April to 4 May on the LCN News website. The candidates with the most votes will automatically become finalists. A panel of expert judges, whose names will remain confidential until the ceremony, to avoid any indirect lobbying, François adds with a smile , will then select two additional finalists per category, bringing the total to three per category.
How will readers be able to follow all the stages of the Awards?
All updates will be shared on LCN News, across social media, and through our partners: the Belgian Embassy, Flanders Trade, Wallonia Invest and the event’s sponsors. The Belgian-Australian clubs in Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland and beyond will also play a key role in spreading the word. And everyone, even those who aren’t candidates, can help show that our community is active and thriving.
How will the winners be announced?
The finalists will be announced via our networks, but the winners will be revealed at an exceptional evening at the Belgian Embassy, quite a prestigious setting. The format is inspired by the Oscars or the Césars: no one in the room will know the winner until the envelopes are opened. There will be emotion, networking, and pride. We hope this momentum will be just the beginning, an unmissable annual event.
What will the Awards concretely bring to the winners?
I always say: everyone wins the moment they take part. From the nomination stage, your photo, biography and company link will be visible on our website. And this is a free competition, unlike many other awards. For the winners, there will be a lasting record of achievement you can use to promote your business, build your reputation, or simply feel proud. Winners will also become informal ambassadors of the Belgian-Australian relationship, and a dedicated portrait will be written about each of them, to inspire the whole community.
A final word to encourage the Belgian community in Australia to get involved?
Our tagline says it all: “Let’s celebrate together outstanding contribution and achievements in our community”. We have so much to be proud of as Belgian-Australians, talent is everywhere — it’s time we let it shine.
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