an alcohol and substance free event
photo copyright © 2024 Destination NSW
Baalijin Valley – Gumbaynggirr
The InterNātional Earth Summit 2024 will be hosted by Gumbaynggirr Nation and Peoples in the Baalijin Valley, Budaabang Gumbaynggirr Wajaar (also called the Bellingen Showground), continuing a 25-year tradition of gathering to hear the voices of ONP. The Summit will be the culmination of working together, as common people, to address the existential challenges we all face and to find transformative possibilities for social, cultural and environmental equity.
We extend a warm welcome to all those thinking about or planning to attend the InterNātional Earth Summit 2024!
Welcome to the ONP Earth Summit 2024
Through our collective experience, cultural and educational exchange, presentations, workshops and discussion, this convening offers insight into a growing recognition for the need to define and practice what it means to work together, with an emphasis on the need for collective strategies. In the face of overwhelming social, cultural and environmental inequity, no single individual, group, organisation or nation can or should bear the cost or responsibility alone.
A small introduction if you’re wondering why this 25th year of gathering is happening or for anyone who wonders or wants to ask ‘what’s it all about?
This year’s summit is a continuing invitation to come together in person or virtually for four days of Original Nations and Peoples (ONP) Intercultural, Interfaith sharing of practices, perspectives, knowledge and wisdom. It invites you to consider joining us in a working together process where we share ideas of not merely what we think but how, not merely what we do but how we do it. A small example of the above is exemplified by the cultural significance of both how and why we are gathering during ’Solstice’ time and the different ways we might understand this.
Working together also creates transformative possibilities for understanding and responding to the profound social, cultural, economic, legal and environmental issues impacting the health and well-being of our collective ONP, wider community and Planet. All ONP, Friends, Allies and Relatives are invited to this gathering space to give deep consideration for sharing understandings of our relationships with each other and our environment.
Stories and Songs of the People both recognize and acknowledge the efforts of our ONP relatives, and as such invite you to help and support us in examining, through the sharing of our diverse experiences and perspectives, some of the considerations for this event. There will be many unique and remarkable presenters, performers, panel discussions, films, stories, songs and dance during the days (and nights) of the Summit. Some of the ideas under examination include - What makes genuine Transformative Collaboration? (how do we work together for actual change?) What is Cultural Safety, how do we understand and practice it? What comprises Decolonising processes and conversations? What is the Sacred? How do we acknowledge the sacred and understand our relationship with that which is sacred? What does it mean to Protect the Sacred? What is meant by using terms for ideas of law; cultural law, natural law, creator’s law? How do we maintain ONP cultural diversity in the face of ongoing ignorance? In what ways can hearing the voices of ONP help address the changing environment and climate?
Please note as grassroots and ONP communities we bring all our resources to bear for such events to happen. Bringing ONP from other parts of the world and supporting our community hosts to join together in this annual gathering is an extraordinary undertaking that bears great expense for which we can all contribute. You can help make these events happen through a myriad of ways, worthy of your thought, consideration and action. We look forward to seeing you there!
INITC foundations for working together note
The InterNātional Indigenous Initiative for Transformative Collaboration (INITC)
For those who will be attending for the first time, for those newer to our convening and/or those wanting to review or continue our conversations it is highly recommended that you attend our introductory sessions for investigating what it means to work together as Human Beings, InterNātionally and through a structure of interconnected councils. You will find listings in the program guide.
