Dates that honour and celebrate Indigenous cultures and experiences, and acknowledge our shared histories and futures
Culturally significant days
For more information about the significance of each date, as well as any planned UOW events, please visit the UOW Inclusion Calendar.
January
- 26 January: Survival Day (anniversary of official Colonisation - 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Botany Bay)
- 26 January: anniversary of the 1938 Day of Mourning
- 26 January: anniversary of establishment of the Tent Embassy in 1972
February
- 12 - 26 February: anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Ride
- 13 February: anniversary of the 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations
March
- 21 March: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- 16 March: National Close the Gap Day
April
- 5 April: anniversary of the Bringing Them Home Report (1997)
- 25 April: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans’ Diggers March (ANZAC day)
May
- 21 May: anniversary of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 (amended to full voting rights in 1984)
- 26 May: National Sorry Day
- 26 May: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Servicemen and Servicewomen Commemoration Service
- 26 May: anniversary of the Uluru Statement (2017)
- 27 May: anniversary of the 1967 Referendum
- 27 May - 03 June: National Reconciliation Week | #NRW2023 Be a Voice for Generations
- 28 May: anniversary of the Walk for Reconciliation across Sydney Harbour Bridge (2000)
June
- 03 June: Mabo Day (anniversary of 'Mabo and others v Queensland (No 2) (1992)')
- 10 June: anniversary of 1838 Myall Creek massacre (first judicial convictions of British Subjects)
- 26 June – 30 June: 2023 Indigenous Nationals, sports competition
July
- 02 July – 09 July: National NAIDOC Week | #NAIDOC2023 For Our Elders
- 14 July: Aboriginal Flag recognised in 1995 as official flag of Australia - Flags Act 1953
- 14 July: Torres Strait Islander Flag recognised in 1995 as official flag of Australia - Flags Act 1953
August
- 4 August: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day
- 9 August: UN International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
- 22 August: Captain Cook declared Australia 'terra nullius' in 1770
- 22 August: Captain Cook claimed East Coast of Australia for Britain in 1770
September
- 1 September: anniversary of 1794 Hawkesbury River massacre (first acknowledged killing of Indigenous Peoples)
- 4 September: National Indigenous Literacy Day
- 13 September: anniversary of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (2007)
October
- 02 October: 2023 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout
November
- 11 November: 2023 Giiyong Festival
December
- 10 December: anniversary of the Redfern Speech (1992)
- 10 December: UN International Human Rights Day