-----Original Message----- From: Webcentral <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > >ATSIC Commissioner Jenny Pryor Welcomes National NAIDOC Celebrations for >Townsville > >It is a coup for Townsville and North Queensland that the first NAIDOC >celebrations of the new century will be in Townsville. > >It's a huge boost for the indigenous people here in Townsville, but also >for the whole of the Cape and North Queensland. > >NAIDOC will be the biggest indigenous event, the showcase of our culture, >prior to the Olympics. And Townsville will be the focus. > >I want to extend an open invitation today from the Indigenous people of >Townsville to all Australians, indigenous and non indigenous, and to the >many visitors from overseas to join in and share our celebrations of >Indigenous culture. > >NAIDOC 2000 will also be a major boost to the tourism industry in Queensland >and for this region leading up to the Olympics. > >I want to congratulate the ATSIC Board on this decision, as this is a major >boost and commitment to Regional Australia. > >It's a credit to the indigenous community of Townsville, that we have >"beaten" Sydney for the right to host the national NAIDOC Week celebrations > >NAIDOC 2000 will be a major boost to Reconciliation here in North Qld. > >This is despite the Prime Minister's disappointing admission in The >Australian newspaper today that he is abandoning hope of any real progress >towards Reconciliation. > >The desire for Reconciliation remains strong in the hearts of many >Australians More than ever before . Both indigenous and non-indigenous. > >NAIDOC Week in Townsville will affirm that - and that the ultimate future of >Reconciliation remains where it belongs - in the hands and hearts of the >people of Australia. > >The National NAIDOC theme for 2000 is "Building Pride in our Communities." > >And I can say that this announcement alone has already done that in this >city. > >The National festivities will begin on Sunday July 2 and continue through to >Sunday 9 July. > >NAIDOC Week is an event of national importance for all Australians. > >We can all celebrate the heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander >people whose cultures extend as far back as 50,000 years. > >The response by non - indigenous Australians who want to share in and join >with us to celebrate NAIDOC has increased dramatically over the last five >or six years. > >I expect Townsville to continue that trend, in convincing fashion. > >Jenny Pryor >Townsville's ATSIC Commissioner for North Queensland >28 February 2000 > >Media Contact: >Commissioner Jenny Pryor: mobile 0419 702 533 > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/