Ben Farinazzo - 2026 UNSW Alumni Award Winner for Community Service

"Service gave me identity. Recovery taught me a deeper form of strength. Invictus, it gave me hope. Community gave that hope somewhere to go."

Meet the winner of the 2026 UNSW Alumni Award for Community Service, Ben Farinazzo.

Ben Farinazzo is a proud Australian with Italian and Aboriginal heritage. He is a former Australian Army officer and CEO, two-time Invictus Games gold medalist, Australia Day Ambassador and mental health advocate.

Ben served on active deployment in East Timor and built a senior leadership career in Australia and overseas. After recovering from severe PTSD, anxiety, depression and serious spinal injuries, Ben represented Australia at the 2018 Invictus Games Sydney, winning two gold medals.

Today, he supports veteran and community wellbeing and is developing a 1,000km national pilgrimage connecting people, landscapes, communities and Country across Australia.

Experience Ben's story here: https://www.unsw.edu.au/alumni/our-impact/alumni-awards



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