National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day will be celebrated this morning with a virtual flag raising at the Town Hall and a series of art and storytime activities.
This year’s theme for Children’s Day is ‘We are the Elders of tomorrow, hear our voice’.
The day is the largest annual national day to celebrate the younger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander generation.
It has been co-ordinated in Ballarat by the Ballarat Better Outcomes Early Years Network with Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC).
Wendouree Children’s Centre will make a tree for the foyer of the centre and each child will create a leaf. Children at Girrabanya Integrated Children’s Services have created a large rainbow serpent on display in the foyer.
Children at Girrabanya Integrated Children’s Services also have created a large rainbow serpent, on display in the foyer.
As part of the celebrations, City of Ballarat Aboriginal Liaison Officer Nikki Foy will read I love me, by Sally Morgan and Ambelin Kwaymullina, in a virtual Ballarat Libraries Storytime.
Under current circumstances gatherings are not permitted so it will not be possible for the public to view the flag raising.
“National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day is always a fun and inspiring occasion and brings our community together,” the Mayor, Cr Ben Taylor, said.
“Even though we cannot celebrate the day as freely as we wish because of the pandemic, I encourage the Ballarat community to acknowledge and celebrate this year’s Children’s Day. We want to make it a happy day for all involved.”
