First Sunday to second Sunday in July
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself. Find out more about the origins and history of NAIDOC Week.
The theme for NAIDOC Week 2022 is: Get up! Stand up! Show up! It encourages all of us to champion institutional, structural, collaborative, and cooperative change while celebrating those who have already driven and led change in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities over generations.
For stories on how the RCH has celebrated NAIDOC Week over the years, click on the following links:
NAIDOC Week 2021
NAIDOC Week 2020
NAIDOC Week 2018
NAIDOC Week 2017
NAIDOC Week 2015
NAIDOC Week 2014
NAIDOC Week Grand Rounds
During NAIDOC Week, the RCH also traditionally runs a Grand Round focused on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues.
These are amazing talks that provide insight, education, and the inspiration to grow your own First Nations Cultural Awareness. Many of these have been recorded and can be found in the links below:
2021 Wadja Family Place in Focus - Selena White and Annette Gaulton
2020 Children's Rights and Healthcare - Janine and Justin Mohamed
2017 Take Heart: The Quest to rid Australasia of Rheumatic Heart Disease - Mike Hill, Sue Collins, Andrew Steer, Christian Brizard, Annette Gaulton
2017 The Australian model of the first 100 days: Indigenous Peoples... - Rebecca Ritte
2014 I see the future for Aboriginal Children and Young People - and it is good - Andrew Jackomos
2013 History of the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) - Denise McGuinness