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The 2022 AIATSIS Summit was convened in partnership with Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS) and was hosted by the Kabi Kabi peoples on their traditional Country on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

Navigating the spaces in between is this year's theme and foregrounds the brilliance and value of Indigenous ways of knowing and seeing the world.

The annual AIATSIS Summit provides a unique forum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, academics, native title stakeholders, legal experts, community and cultural sectors and government to collaborate in addressing current and future challenges. As well, it offers opportunities to support and strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge and governance.

Queensland South Native Title Services supports Traditional Owners by providing native title services as prescribed by the Native Title Act, enhancing the capability of Traditional Owners to attain self-determination through the exercise of native title rights and interests, while advocating for reform and improvement of the native title system.

This event has now concluded.

Date
to

Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort

270 Ocean Dr, Twin Waters QLD 4564

QSNTS logo
AIATSIS Summit Mabo 30 years

The final day of this year's Summit marked Mabo Day, commemorating 30 years since the 1992 Mabo decision by the High Court of Australia.

Learn more about the Mabo Case.

Themes

Navigating the spaces in between

This year’s theme foregrounds the brilliance and value of Indigenous ways of knowing, seeing and being in the world.

The Summit provides the opportunity to bring things from the periphery into focus, recognising that in these spaces in between there are opportunities for innovation, but also risks and complexity. It invites radical creativity – ‘burning boundaries’ and re-imagining our future. The theme speaks of the importance of relationships and connections, of bonds of trust and reciprocity; it suggests a focus on a journey and destination but also requires us to reflect on where we have come from. 

  • Belonging and identity

    Topics under this sub-theme include the centrality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and histories to understanding this country, including:

    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures in Australia’s national identity and story.
    • The place of traditional owners in Indigenous policy and law.
    • Privileging Indigenous knowledge in Australian research and cultural institutions.
    • Indigenous ideas and approaches to education, science and technological innovations – both new and old.
    • Conceptions of tangible and intangible heritage and its protection.
    • Contemporary artistic practice and expressions of identity and place. 

    This sub-theme also includes celebrating Indigenous identity in its complexity, and understanding relationships to mob and place – including responsibilities of membership/citizenship; inclusion, diaspora and resident communities; those connecting back to their heritage and stolen generations.

  • Connection and interaction

    Topics under this sub-theme include connections to country and community and the dynamics of interaction with others and among groups, including:

    • Caring for country, getting back on country 
    • Regional development, cross-jurisdictional and whole-of-country planning 
    • Models of Indigenous representation and authority
    • Treaty-making and diplomacy in agreements and settlements 
    • Toward self-government and autonomy 
    • Indigenous leadership success and future challenges across disciplines and sectors
    • Building relationships of trust between Indigenous peoples and research, cultural and other institutions.

    This sub-theme also encompasses presentations that seek to share local experiences and successes across regions – including international and comparative examples; presenting research results across a range of topics and disciplines; models for recording and sharing knowledge and data.

  • Becoming

    Topics under this sub-theme focus on the future we are creating and what we need to do to get there, including:

    • Reforming social structures and changing societal values. 
    • Re-examining systems and influences from an Indigenous perspective.
    • Indigenous research priorities to meet national and global challenges.
    • Decolonising institutions, archives and disciplines.
    • Imagining, designing and activating Indigenous structures, systems and ways of doing.
    • Models of sustainable development and managing and adapting to ecological change.
    • What a post-treaty/self-determined relationship with Australia looks like in practice – locally, and across sectors and institutions.

    This sub-theme also provides an opportunity to reflect on the 30 years since the recognition of native title and where we could be in 30 years’ time.

Program partners

We are proud to be partnering with these peak bodies to support the programming of the 2022 AIATSIS Summit.

National Native Title Council

The National Native Title Council (NNTC) is the peak body for the native title sector. Through the native title system, they advocate for the rights and interests of all First Nations people.

National Native Title Council logo

GLAM Peak

GLAM Peak brings together the representative bodies for Australia’s galleries, libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, cultural heritage organisations and research peak bodies.

GLAM Peak logo

Universities Australia

Universities Australia is the voice of Australia’s universities. As the peak body for the sector, they advocate the vast social, economic and cultural value of higher education and research to Australia and the world.

Universities Australia logo

Sponsors

Thanks to all our sponsors for supporting the 2022 AIATSIS Summit

Principal sponsor

Major sponsors

Supporting sponsors

Destination sponsors

Gala dinner sponsor

Australian Government

First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance

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Last updated: 13 July 2023