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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resources: Significant Dates

Acknowledgement of Country

Avondale University acknowledges the Awabakal and Durramuragal peoples as the Traditional Owners and custodians of the land on which the university stands. We recognise and respect their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respect to their Elders, past, present & emerging and acknowledge the important role they continue to play in these communities that have always been a place of teaching, learning and healing.

Significant Dates for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Date	Description
26 Jan	Australia Day / Survival Day / Day of Mourning This date marks the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove and Survival Concerts around the country celebrate the survival of colonisation.
13 Feb	Apology to Australia's Indigenous People This date marks the National Apology by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2008.
21 Mar	National Close the Gap Day This day is a national day of action to pledge support for achieving indigenous health equality, closing the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians. It is a change for organisations and communities to hold events and raise awareness of the indigenous health crisis.
21 Mar	United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination This day marks the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, when South Africa tried to peacefully protest the apartheid regime.
26 May	National Sorry Day Anniversary of the 1997 'Bringing them Home' report. A day to express sorry over the forced removal of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander children from their families.
27 May - 3 June	National Reconciliation Week Time to focus on ways to move towards reconciliation between non-indigenous and indigenous Australians.
27 May	Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum Australia's most successful referendum, where 90% of Australians voted to acknowledge Indigenous Australians as citizens.
3 June	Mabo Day Anniversary of the High Court's 1992 decision which recognised Native Title rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and overturned the myth of terra nullius
1 Jul	Coming of the Light Celebration of the introduction of Christianity to the Torres Strait Islands.
1st Sunday Jul - 2nd Sunday Jul	NAIDOC Week National celebration of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people.
1st Sunday Jul	National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (NATSI) Sunday Starts NAIDOC Week with some prayer and honest reflection.
4 Aug	National Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day was established by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) in 1988. Each year, SNAICC has a theme for Children's Day to highlight a significant issue, concern or hope for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
9 Aug	International Day of World's Indigenous People To recognise the value and diversity of indigenous cultures and to strengthen international cooperation for the support of indigenous people. This day also recognises the achievements and contributions that Indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.
4 Sep	Indigenous Literacy Day Indigenous Literacy Day is a national celebration of Indigenous culture, stories, language and literacy. The aim is to focus attention on the disadvantages experienced in remote communities to encourage and advocate for more equal access to literacy resources for remote communities.
13 Sep	Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 61st session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007.
10 Dec	Human Rights Day Celebrates the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.