The Australian Government will celebrate the history, culture and achievements of First Australians through a grant round to support events to be held as part of National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week celebrations in July.

Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said the 2016 NAIDOC grant funding round was part of a more than $2 million commitment from the Australian Government to support NAIDOC celebrations this year.

“NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to get together and celebrate the unique place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, and the national theme this year is Songlines - The living narrative of our nation,” Minister Scullion said.

“The theme highlights the importance of Dreamtime to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It commemorates the tracks they leave on the land as a record of ancestral spirits who ‘sung’ the land into life.

“I encourage everyone to take the opportunity during NAIDOC Week (3-10 July) to learn more about Indigenous Songlines and the role they play in recording the rich and diverse histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who represent the longest continuing cultures on the planet.”