As we honour Dr Belle Lim for her contribution to life in Melbourne, the cancer genetics researcher and diversity advocate reflects on what it takes to feel at home in a new city.
When Belle stepped off the plane from Malaysia fresh from high school and ready to start university in Melbourne, she assumed it would take a few months to find her feet.
Instead, she spent many years as an international student feeling lonely and isolated. A shy person by nature, it didn’t come easily to put herself forward and make friends.
“I could sense impatience from other people that I wasn’t integrating fast enough," Belle said.
“That urgency and pressure stayed with me for a long time.”
Those feelings motivated her to establish Future Forte External link, a not-for-profit organisation helping make life easier for future generations who choose to study and create a home in Melbourne.
In little more than a decade, Belle has achieved incredible things in Melbourne – from a pharmacy degree and PhD in breast cancer genetics, to setting up Future Forte and ultimately finding her voice as an emerging leader and diversity advocate.
For these efforts and more, Belle was recently added to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women External link in 2024, and City of Melbourne named her Young Melburnian of the Year at the 2025 Melbourne Awards.
"Anyone who chooses to move to a different country has strength and resilience.
"I want to make sure that people don’t feel alone,” Belle said.
Belle Lim:
My name is Belle Lim. I came to Australia as an international student and I am the founder and chair of Future Forte. Future Forte is a charity, not-for-profit organisation that is led by international students for international students. We deliver programs and events and really create and foster a community where international students can find a sense of belonging.
I grew up in Malaysia, in a city called Johor Bahru. I was fortunate enough to have the support of my family to pursue my higher education. We were considering a number of different cities and Melbourne stood out because there are universities that are recognisable on a world stage.
I went to Monash and studied pharmaceutical sciences and went on to do a PhD in breast cancer genetics. I very much enjoyed and valued the opportunity to get an education at that level. My first impression of Melbourne was that it was very vibrant. Initially, when I first moved here, I didn't feel like this was my home. It took me some time to get used to it and embrace it and see myself living here.
Some of the challenges that most international students face, really the lack of network. A lot of students do struggle with isolation. In our work, we also have shone a light on issues like sexual harassment and sexual assault that international students face and the additional layer for students is that we don't always have people to lean on. So that was the initiative that had turned into Future Forte. It was to create a platform to discuss international student issues and raise awareness and build a community around shared experiences.
I had the opportunity to take on a role at the AFL as the Head of Cultural Diversity, Engagement and Growth. It feels quite surreal in a sense that, footy, like a lot of things that are quintessential Melbourne. I felt outside of it as a newcomer and now the opportunity to work inside an organisation that has a strong vision to open the door for culturally diverse communities.
I feel really proud to be here. I feel like I can be a conduit between our diverse communities with this institution that has the will and the intention to do good. And at the same time, I also feel like football itself can be a bridge for a lot of people to connect with one another in a way that is fun and light-hearted.
My friends at the time go for Richmond so I was absorbed into the spirit and the Tigers were doing well those couple of years, so it was easy to barrack for them. And now I realise that once you choose a club, you can’t change. So I suppose I'm stuck with them.
The City of Melbourne has been such a big part of my story and my journey. What I wish through Future Forte and other initiatives that I am a part of, is that people can feel a sense of inclusion and belonging here. They should feel like they can participate fully socially, in what Melbourne has to offer, economically and depending on their role politically as well.
I'm so excited to hand the stage through Future Forte over to our young women and young leaders and I hope that it will be a platform where more and more young people can find a sense of connection, belonging, confidence and their own version of leadership through this initiative.
The first person in her family to go to university and the first to live overseas, Belle was just 17 when she moved to Melbourne.
“When you move to a new country there’s so much to learn, from the small things like what to order at a cafe, to the big things like managing your own finances and figuring out where to live.”
Belle’s anxiety grew even as she quietly excelled in her degree and then a PhD.
“As I approached the end of my studies, I didn’t know if I could find a job or if I would get a visa. The uncertainty was overwhelming. My mental health was not great and with the cultural differences I was still struggling to build meaningful friendships and support networks.
“All of that was a real pressure cooker for me,” Belle said.
Pressure makes diamonds: what Belle did next
In her darkest hour, a glimmer of insight came to Belle: surely she was not the only international student to feel lonely and isolated, a world away from family and friends.
“I wanted to bring international students together in a safe space where we were seen and acknowledged," Belle said.
“A place where we could talk openly and honestly about our experiences and aspirations, and everything in between.”
Despite having no experience in events management, Belle dreamt up the Future Forte conference in 2019, with support from the City of Melbourne and Study Melbourne.
The first-ever event at Arts Centre Melbourne attracted 300 attendees and has since become an annual highlight on the international student calendar.
“That event was life-changing for me. I was in a room full of smart and funny people from more than 50 countries, all with a shared experience," Belle said.
“I could feel the impact it was having on other people and I started to feel a sense of confidence.
“I realised that I had the agency to create a life for myself.”
After graduating, she put her career as a scientist on hold and directed her passion and drive into Future Forte, which has since supported more than 3,000 young leaders through student-led events, mentorship and leadership opportunities.
“As a first-generation migrant, a big part of my story is the need to strive hard," Belle said.
“I've created and shaped my life in Melbourne. I’ve grown up in Melbourne, so it’s really meaningful to be named Young Melburnian of the Year.
“I see this as a recognition that we’re changing the narrative so that we as migrants and international students are part of the city," Belle said.
“We don’t need to change ourselves to fit in. The city acknowledges our full selves and our contribution.”
Belle's advocacy on issues of equity and inclusion also make her the perfect fit for a new role as Head of Cultural Diversity Engagement and Growth at the AFL.
“It’s such a fun industry, and it’s an incredible privilege to do something I love and believe in. The AFL is ready to welcome more diverse communities.”
As a Richmond supporter, Belle has some – possibly controversial – advice for people who are new to Melbourne and feeling the pressure to pick an AFL team.
“Everyone will want you to choose a team," Belle said.
“You can pick a club close to where you live so you have an answer to those questions ... but you have the freedom to go to all the matches you want and follow all the clubs you want!”
What the future holds for Future Forte
Even after finishing 2025 on a high, Belle has no intention of slowing down.
In 2026, she is turning her focus to issues like sexual harassment and assault among university students.
"I feel very fired up about this issue," Belle said.
"Perpetrators think they can take advantage of international students because they are unfamiliar with the environment and culture here. The stigma is heartbreaking: victims carry so much shame.
“We want to gently introduce the idea to our community in a way that is culturally sensitive and responsive, so people know they are not alone.”
All Future Forte events are designed to encourage international students to adjust to life in Melbourne at their own pace.
“Perhaps it's not possible to feel like you belong in 3 months,” Belle said.
“Future Forte asks how we can support students to create a new way of living here for the couple of years they are here.”
Find out more about the Melbourne Awards and get to know fellow award-winner Jo Horgan AM, Melburnian of the Year.
