Event: Australia

National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Week

When:	6 - 13 Jul 2008 (annual)
Where:	Australia
Costs:	Various
Opening Hours:	Various

The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Week centres around National Aborigines' Day. In 2008, the chosen focus city is Canberra and the central theme, "Advance Australia Fair?", questions equality among the people of Australia.

The event emerged out of the Aboriginal people's struggle for recognition and restitution in the 1930s. In 1940, the Sunday before Australia Day was first designated a "Day of Mourning" by activists, and in 1957 - when the day was changed to July - the National Aborigines' Day Observance Committee (NADOC) was formed. The name was changed to NAIDOC in 1991 to include the Torres Straits Islanders. The festival theme and focus city change each year.

The culmination of the week, the National NAIDOC Awards Ball is held this year at the National Canberra Convention Centre on Saturday 12 July. Please visit the NAIDOC website for full details of all the events.