Andrew Heslop’s commitment to community, and his acknowledgement of its collective ability to create and cause change, is fast gaining him a reputation as a leading commentator both in Australia and internationally.
He is the sole founder of Neighbour Day, Australia’s annual celebration of community, which he instigated in 2003. The event is supported by the Australian Government, through the Prime Minister, as well through a wealth of media partnerships which run the length and breadth of the country.
In May 2008 Andrew spoke at the United Nations in New York about the global development of Neighbour Day which has grown from a simple idea expressed in a Letter to the Editor of The Age to become a national community event. He has also presented a paper to the Gulbenkian Organisation in the UK on the establishment of Neighbour Day as a concept through the UK and Europe.
In 2009, he delivered the keynote address at the launch of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras to an audience of 70,000 people at Fair Day in Victoria Park.
He was listed by the [sydney]magazine as one of Sydney’s TOP 100 Most Influential People in the January 2010 edition and was named an Australia Day Ambassador for NSW in 2011. He has also been recognised for his work within community through:
A portrait of Andrew, by Sydney artist Bruce Remmer, was submitted as an entry in the 2010 Archibald Prize.
For engagement enquiries phone Libby Fordham on +61 411 473 938