The Department of Education is to mark NAIDOC Week (4-11 July) early with a virtual celebration and the planting of 1,000 trees this week.
Executive Director of Aboriginal Outcomes and Partnerships at the Department, Karen Jones said schools were celebrating early as NAIDOC Week fell on the first week of school holidays this year.
“With its theme, Healing Country! NAIDOC 2021 invites the nation to embrace First Nations’ cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia’s national heritage and equally respect the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders as they do the cultures and values of all Australians,” Ms Jones said.
“The events of the week will be launched with tree-planting ceremonies, held in partnership with Landcare Australia, across the State on Darug Wiradjuri and Gumbaynggir Country,” she said.
“More than 20 schools in Sydney, central NSW and mid-north coast of NSW are involved in the event, which will be shown online from 9am [Monday, 21 Jun].”
Ms Jones said that as part of the celebrations, schools were being encouraged to increase their stock of Indigenous children’s and young adult’s book titles with a 50 per cent discount on cover prices.
“The NAIDOC Week 2021 celebrations will close on Friday with a singalong featuring Christine Anu singing My Island Home and Taba Naba with schools across the State,” the Executive Director said.
People can virtually join the Department’s early NAIDOC Week celebrations at this PS News link.
