Australian Muslim TV personality's moving speech on diversity goes viral

The Project host won the Gold Logie in Melbourne on Sunday evening

Australian Muslim TV personality and columnist, Waleed Aly’s powerful acceptance speech on diversity in Australian society after winning the Gold Logie Award for the Best Personality is going viral.

"Someone who is in this room -- and I'm not going to use the name they use in the industry -- came up to me, introduced themselves and said, 'I really hope you win. My name is Mustafa. But I can't use that name because I won't get a job,'" he said.



Waleed continued, "He's here tonight. And it matters to people like that that I am here. I know it's not because of me. I know that."

"But if tonight means anything, it's that the Australian public, our audience, as far as they're concerned, there is absolutely no reason why that can't change.

"I'm happy to accept this award but I accept it on behalf of our show, a show that's not afraid to make mistakes going after things, trying to tell a story in a more interesting way," he added.



“I am incredibly humble that you would even think to invest in me that way. But I’m also incredibly saddened by it because the truth is you deserve more numerous and more worthy avatars than that.”

The TV personality also gained international recognition earlier this year for his response to the Paris attacks on his show, The Project.

“We all need to come together. I know how that sounds, I know it’s a cliché but it’s also true because it’s exactly what ISIL doesn’t want,” he said.

#WaleedAly smashes that damn ceiling in his first year on TV and inspires generations!

Congrats!#TVWEEKLogies pic.twitter.com/wmzYbfNAM5

— Mariam Veiszadeh (@MariamVeiszadeh) May 8, 2016

https://twitter.com/HNadim87/status/729598022393446400

To all the haters, bigots & phobes out there, #Waleed Aly won the gold #logie & you cant do anything to reverse that outcome #Logies2016

— Ghalib Imtiyaz (@ghalibimtiyaz) May 8, 2016

A Sydney District Court Judge once sneered at my Italian client "What sort of name is that?"Glad to see Waleed Aly judged for who he is

— chris murphy (@chrismurphys) May 8, 2016

Congratulations #GoldLogie winner Waleed Aly @theprojecttv What an incredible speech from such a passionate principled man

— Melissa Doyle AM (@melissadoyle) May 8, 2016

#WaleedAly What a speech, what a man!! The world is turning, not at a rate of knots - but we'll get there brother!! #TVWEEKLogies

— Joe Williams - TEW (@joewilliams_tew) May 8, 2016

Watch the full speech below:


This article originally appeared on Daily Mail.