Important Dates and Special Events

Important Dates

Click on the link to the Vermont Primary School Website to view the dates of upcoming events.   https://www.vermontps.vic.edu.au/all_events

NAIDOC Week

Celebrations for National NAIDOC Week are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday). This is to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.  Sourced from: https://www.naidoc.org.au/about/naidoc-week

You will learn a little bit more about NAIDOC Week at our first assembly in Term Three as we can look forward to a Drama Performance and some special activities. 

History of NAIDOC 

NAIDOC originally started as a protest on Australia Day. It was known as the Day Of Mourning. From 1940 the Day Of Mourning was held as an annual event, held on the Sunday before Australia Day and its name was changed to Aboriginies Day. In 1955, Aboriginies Day was moved to the first Sunday in July and became a week to celebrate Aboriginal culture rather than a day of protest.

In 1956, the NADOC committee (National Aboriginies Day Observance Committee) was formed with major aboriginal organisations, church groups, state and federal governments to make the first Sunday in July a remembrance day for aboriginal people and their heritage. From the 1967 referendum, the Department Of Aboriginal Affairs was formed in 1972. In 1974 the NADOC committee agreed that the event should become a week long.

The name was changed to NAIDOC Week (National Aboriginies and Islanders Day Observance Committee) when NADOC expanded to include Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders. Each year a theme is chosen for NAIDOC Week to reflect the issues or events for these people. This year the theme is ‘For Our Elders.’ 

Humanities and Cultural Inclusivity Team