Indigenous Literacy Day launched 3 September

Nine senior school girls from Tiwi College on Melville Island (off the coast from Darwin, NT) will join an exciting program of performers including some of Australia's best-known authors, the Gondwana Choirs and students from over 30 schools at the Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations on Wednesday 3 September, 10.15am–12pm at the Sydney Opera House.

Indigenous Literacy Day aims to raise vital funds to put books and literacy resources into the hands of school students, mothers, babies and toddlers in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. 

Hosted by NITV journalist Natalie Ahmat, the ILD celebrations will include a Great Book Swap with students and guests being invited to bring and swap a much-loved book.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation's Executive Director Karen Williams said that she hopes the day will raise over $100,000 to support its projects which include a free book supply program, community publishing (where possible in first language), the Book Buzz early literacy project, as well as field trips to remote schools with authors, musicians and illustrators.

Across Australia over 700 schools, libraries, businesses, booksellers and individuals have registered to be part of the day and to hold a Great Book Swap or other fundraiser.

Williams said the Foundation was both delighted by and very grateful for the support of volunteers, writers, teachers, parents, school children and businesses who have given so generously and supported the work of the Foundation over the past year.

In the lead up to and on ILD, some of the event highlights include:

• Josh Pyke's Busking for Change on 4 September
• Great Book Swap at St Andrew’s Cathedral School with Michael O'Loughlin, 3 September
• Gleebooks event on 3 September at 6 pm with Samuel Watson, Dub Leffler and the young Tiwi authors
• Wally Lewis and a Brisbane Broncos player visiting a Queensland school
• City of Sydney library event with Andy Griffiths, Monday 1 September
• Great Book Swap event at the MCA with Dub Leffler, 3 September
• Archie Roach evening at the Fitzroy Hotel, 3 September
• Events at a number of libraries including Melbourne City, Sydney University, Deakin University, Lane Cove and Sutherland Shire and much more (see website for further details).

In the past five months the Foundation has delivered over 20,000 free books to remote Indigenous communities and organisations across Australia. In addition, the Foundation funds and publishes a range of community projects including board books for babies and toddlers in Central Australia in six languages and a parent resource for Wilcannia. In October it plans to reprint the first Aboriginal children's book, 'The Legends of Moonie Jarl', first published in the 1964.

Any media queries to Karen Williams on (02) 9698 2884 or 0404 075 924.

Indigenous Literacy Day celebrations at Sydney Opera House (Joan Sutherland Northern Foyer) start at 10.15 am.

• Posted 24 August, 2014