Adelaide will be the host city for the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week from Saturday, 6 July. It is the first time in nine years the South Australian capital has been the host city.
The theme for 2024 is "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud!" which, in the words of the National NAIDOC Committee "celebrates the unyielding spirit of Aboriginal communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced".
The City of Adelaide will be hosting 'NAIDOC in the Mall' and the Lord Mayor's NAIDOC Awards in celebration of NAIDOC and commitments from the 2021-2024 City of Adelaide Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan, including the recently launched Kaurna Voices cultural mapping project.
This year the Lord Mayor's NAIDOC Award will be awarded during the combined Premier, Lord Mayor and SA NAIDOC Awards at the Adelaide Town Hall on 8 July.
The Lord Mayor's NAIDOC Award recognises the outstanding achievement and service of an extraordinary Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community member who has made a significant contribution to strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-indigenous people, for the benefit of all Australians. Adelaide Town Hall also will host the official launch on Thursday, 4 July, of a new 50 cent coin designed by the Royal Australian Mint to commemorate the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC.
NAIDOC in the Mall is being held on Tuesday, 9 July, where the public can interact with Aboriginal businesses while enjoying activities for all ages, light refreshments and entertainment. Other NAIDOC Week activities supported by the City of Adelaide include the National NAIDOC Ball at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Saturday, 6 July, featuring the National NAIDOC Awards and the NAIDOC March along King William Street to a Family Fun Day in Rymill Park on Friday, 12 July.
"NAIDOC Week is incredibly special because it lets us celebrate Indigenous culture, reflect on the past and honour the contributions of First Nations people," Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said.
"This year's NAIDOC Week is even more exciting than normal because we are welcoming people from across the country to Adelaide. It's an enormous honour for our city."
A summary of key events within the Adelaide CBD for NAIDOC events is:
• Thursday 4 July: Royal Australian Mint launch of new NAIDOC commemorative coin
• Saturday 6 July: National NAIDOC Week Awards Ceremony
• Monday 8 July: Premier, Lord Mayor and SA NAIDOC Awards at the Adelaide Town Hall
• Tuesday 9 July: NAIDOC in the Mall
• Friday 12 July: NAIDOC March along King William Street and Family Fun Day in Rymill Park
Further NAIDOC event information can be found at 2023 National NAIDOC Week.
