2021 NAIDOC Award Nominations are Open!
Every year the National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony takes place. The awards recognize the outstanding contributions that Indigenous Australians make to improve the lives of Indigenous people in their communities and beyond. The awards are an incredible opportunity to acknowledge their work and the way in which it enriches communities and this nation. The awards represent growth and building towards a better future. They celebrate individuals on community, national and international level and have become a fundamental part of NAIDOC.
2019 National NAIDOC Award recipients. Image sourced from Celebrating NAIDOC Week, 2019.
“They celebrate our past, our present and our future and individuals’ unwavering determination and work to enrich our communities.” - John Paul Janke (NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair)
Everyone is very excited for the NAIDOC Awards 2021, especially since the awards were cancelled last year due to Covid-19. The last NAIDOC Awards took place in 2019 and celebrated some truly incredible people. This included the “Lifetime Achievement Award” which went to Yolngu Elder David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu AM for his outstanding representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people nationally and internationally through dance, acting and traditional practices. Another notable award was the “Caring for Country Award” which went to the Littlewell Working Group who worked tirelessly to protect and restore the Littlewell Reserve - a place of cultural and historical significance. Today, it is a heritage listed site for healing, language, belonging, history, heritage and culture.
Nominations for NAIDOC Awards are now open, if you know someone who has improved the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their communities and beyond we encourage you to nominate them for a NAIDOC Award!
There are 10 different categories that you can nominate for and nominations are open until March 8, 2021. Learn more about the categories and criteria here.