Hosting almost 20 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers, the 2025 the National NAIDOC Forum features a mix of notable Elders and youth, reflecting the theme of passing on the legacy and celebrating 50 years of NAIDOC.
There will also be approximately 250 delegates at the Forum in Boorloo/Perth, with the majority being Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across Australia representing their language groups, communities and organisations. One notable speaker set to engage and retain the attention of audience members is Veolia Australia and New Zealand National Reconciliation Coordinator and proud Ngarluma/Wadandi woman Courtney Harris.
Born, raised, living and working on Whadjuk Boojar, Harris has with strong ancestral ties to the Yued Nation, and boasts a wealth of knowledge on how to navigate both corporate and cultural spheres.
"Working in the reconciliation space within the corporate sector has had great impact on my personal growth enabling me to effectively navigate both corporate and cultural spheres which has deepened my understanding and allowed me to connect my cultural identity with my professional role," she said.
Harris told National Indigenous Times she will be sharing her personal journey of growth and development.
"At this year's National NAIDOC Forum, I will be telling my personal journey, a narrative woven with threads of profound heartache, unyielding resilience, and the indomitable strength that ultimately allowed me to surmount adversity, illuminate the lessons learned, and to highlight the remarkable capacity for growth that emerges from even the darkest of moments in the hopes of swaying just one mind for change," she said.
On the topic of this year's NAIDOC Week theme, and what it means to her personally, Harris said theme resonates with her own value of strength and the power that comes from nurturing our own internal strengths.
"This year's theme - Strength, Vision & Legacy to me means; strength provides stability for the present, whilst vision illuminates the path to the future. Without strength, vision remains an unattainable dream; without vision, strength can become complacent and ultimately stagnate," she said.
"Our endeavor must be to continuously reinforce our internal strengths – nurturing our talent, optimizing our processes, and upholding our core values – while simultaneously creating a forward-looking vision that inspires us to reach for new heights."
With as series of prominent First Nations figures set to take to the stage and speak at this year's forum, Harris is looking forward to not only participating herself but gaining personal insight from other speakers and participants at the forum.
"I am genuinely excited to be a part of and to hear from all the distinguished speakers at this year's forum. Personally, I am hoping to gain significant knowledge and insight from all involved in this enriching experience," she said.
"I'm looking forward to immersing myself alongside an amazing group of respected elders, deadly leaders, and accomplished professionals, each celebrated for their expertise in their chosen fields."
"I anticipate that this forum will provide invaluable insights and foster meaningful connections that will contribute significantly to not only my professional growth and understanding but the community as a whole."
National Indigenous Times is an official media partner of Perth's National NAIDOC Forum. Tickets can be purchased on Humantix.