Northern Ireland Sports, Cultures
and Neighbourhood Stories ( NISCANS ) Awards
Celebrating lived experiences of welcome
that build trust, belonging and shared community life.
About the Award
The Northern Ireland Sports, Cultures Neighbourhood Stories Awards (NISCANS Awards) are a community-led Good Relations and peace-building initiative that centres the voices of ethnic minority and migrant communities.
The awards provide a platform for people from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds to recognise local individuals, organisations, businesses and institutions that have welcomed them into Northern Ireland with dignity, fairness and respect.
The NISCANS Awards are non-competitive and recognition based. They do not rank or compare nominees. Instead, they affirm lived experiences of welcome, long-term inclusion and everyday actions that help build trust, belonging and shared community life.
Hosted annually by Multi-Ethnic Sports & Cultures Northern Ireland (MSCNI), the awards support reconciliation, mutual understanding and positive Good Relations, Peace Building, Reconciliation across communities.
How it Works
NISCAN AWARDS 2025
Who the Awards Are For
The NISCAN Awards recognise:
- Local individuals and neighbours
- Community, voluntary and faith-based organisations
- Sports clubs and cultural groups
- Strengthened cross-community relations through sport, helping dismantle prejudices and promote belonging.
- Businesses, employers and institutions
Recognition is given to those who have actively demonstrated welcome and inclusion towards migrant and ethnic minority communities over time.
Who Makes the Nominations
Nominations are primarily led by:
- People from ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds
- Refugees and people seeking sanctuary
- Community groups supporting migrant communities
Self-nominations are permitted; however, recognition is rooted in lived experience of welcome, not self-promotion.
Nomination Period
Nominations open every year from 1 July to 31 October.
Nominations are free, open and community led.
Nomination Guidelines
To ensure meaningful and authentic recognition:
- The welcoming action, relationship or practice must have lasted for a minimum of 3 years
- Sustained, long-term impact is prioritised
- The longer the positive impact has been demonstrated, the stronger the recognition
Nominations should demonstrate:
- The welcoming action, relationship or practice must have lasted for a minimum of 3 years
- Sustained, long-term impact is prioritised
- The longer the positive impact has been demonstrated, the stronger the recognition
Non-Competitive Recognition
The NISCANS Awards are not competitive.
There are:
- No winners or runners-up
- No ranking or comparison
The awards exist to affirm welcome where it is genuinely experienced and to encourage inclusive practice across society.
Shortlisting & Review Process
All nominations are reviewed through a values-led Good Relations process by an independent panel with experience in:
- Community development
- Peacebuilding and reconciliation
- Migration and integration
- Sport, culture and faith-based work
The panel considers:
- Depth and consistency of welcome
- Impact on dignity, belonging and trust
- Lived experience and local relevance
Safeguarding, consent and wellbeing are central to all decisions.
Recognition of Shortlisted Stories
- All shortlisted nominations receive an award.
Being shortlisted means that migrant and ethnic minority communities have formally recognised the nominee as having made a positive contribution to helping people feel welcome in Northern Ireland.
- No hierarchies of recognition
- No single category winners
All shortlisted stories are recognised equally.
Special Recognition Category – Healing Heroes
This category honours local people from Protestant and Catholic backgrounds who:
- Are married, living together or working together
- Actively reject bias and division
- Create welcoming spaces for migrant and ethnic minority communities
- Demonstrate peace-building through everyday relationships
How Are Stories Shared?
Stories are shared:
- Only with explicit consent
- Using respectful, non-sensational language
- In ways that prioritise dignity and safety
Stories are never shared if doing so could cause harm, risk or distress.
- No hierarchies of recognition
- No single category winners
- The welcoming action, relationship or practice must have lasted for a minimum of 3 years
- Sustained, long-term impact is prioritised
- The longer the positive impact has been demonstrated, the stronger the recognition
Shortlisted Stories - Award Recipients
Recognised by Migrant Communities
2025 Award Recepients
Paul & Donald
Recognised for long-standing allyship through sport and community leadership, creating safe and welcoming spaces where people from migrant backgrounds felt respected, included and valued.
Agrippa & Katie
Recognised for cross-community cooperation rooted in everyday relationships, demonstrating how trust, dialogue and mutual respect can foster belonging and reconciliation.
Angela & Salem
Recognised for sustained acts of welcome, practical support and cultural understanding that helped migrant families settle, connect and feel at home.
Ita & East Timor Community
Recognised for institutional welcome, advocacy and solidarity that strengthened participation, voice and cultural pride within the East Timorese community.
Harry & Bukola
Recognised for cross-community cooperation rooted in everyday relationships, demonstrating how trust, dialogue and mutual respect can foster belonging and reconciliation.
Helen Livingston & Madhane
Recognised for compassionate leadership and community care, enabling access, opportunity and a sense of safety for people navigating life in Northern Ireland.
Lorraine & Favour
Recognised for mentorship and encouragement that built confidence, belonging and meaningful community connections over time.
Andy & Godwin
Recognised for consistent, practical welcome delivered with honesty and integrity, creating trust and a sense of home for migrant families over many years.
2026 ( Nominations Coming Soon )
Coming Soon – Watchout on Facebook for when Nominations will commence