Anniversary of the formal apology by the government and Parliament of Australia to the Stolen Generations.
13 February 2026
Aboriginal-led advocacy campaign run annually to raise awareness about, and highlight the need to prevent, the devastating impacts of family violence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities.
12-19 February 2026
Support for closing gap with respect to life expectancy, child mortality, educational and employment outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.
Started in 1999 to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity, Harmony Day (within Harmony Week) is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. It’s also the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
First held on 26 May 1998, this day commemorates the anniversary of the Bringing them Home report, the final report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families.
National Sorry Day remembers the grief, suffering and injustice experienced by the stolen generations.
26 May
In 1967 over 90% of Australians voted in a Referendum to remove clauses from the Australian Constitution which discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The Referendum also gave the Commonwealth Government the power to make laws on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
27 May
National Reconciliation Week celebrates the rich culture and history of the first Australians. The week provides an opportunity to reflect on achievements so far and the things which must still be done to achieve reconciliation.
27 May - 3 June
The anniversary of the High Court of Australia's judgement in 1992 in the Mabo case, which overturned the legal fiction of Terra Nullius and recognised the existence of native title in Australia for the first time.
26 May
The Coming of the Light is a holiday celebrated by Torres Strait Islanders on 1 July each year. It recognises the adoption of Christianity throughout island communities during the late nineteenth century.
1 July
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
5-12 July 2026
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day has been celebrated for more than 30 years. It’s a special time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to celebrate their children, and for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures.
4 August
To raise awareness of the needs of indigenous peoples around the world, the day was chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.
9 August
This is a yearly initiative by Australia’s Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Through literacy programs, the organization seeks to improve the lives and possibilities of Indigenous Australians. Not just any literacy program, but one that puts the knowledge and wisdom of the indigenous people first. The events raise awareness of the educational struggles facing many Indigenous groups in Australia, while also serving as a fundraiser to collect literary resources for children living in more isolated areas of the country.
4 September
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted by the General Assembly on Thursday, 13 September 2007. The Declaration is the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of indigenous peoples. It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world and it elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to the specific situation of indigenous peoples
