The eighth gathering of Healing Our Spirit Worldwide

When: 26 – 29 November, 2018 Where:TheInternationalConventionCentre 14 Darling Dr, Sydney, NSW, 2000

This international gathering will bring together First Nations people from around the world to share knowledge and ideas on healing trauma, as the root cause of many social, health and economic issues in communities today.

Co-hosted by The Healing Foundation and the University of Sydney, it’s a unique opportunity to focus on how Indigenous-led, healing-based initiatives can strengthen communities and reduce disadvantage. Around 1000 participants from eight different countries will attend, to hear from more than 200 speakers and presenters. First Nations Elders, traditional healers and young leaders will be joined by trauma experts, academics, politicians and service providers. Participants will exchange ideas by talking about healing-centred projects that are improving health and wellbeing outcomes in communities around the world, as well as ground breaking research which will influence future policies and services.

The four day program also includes cultural performances, healing activities and entertainment by world class performers.

June Oscar, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, explains why the gathering is so important for First Nations people.

visit youtube to watch the official trailer

Our Knowledge,Our Wisdom – Our Promisewww.hosw.com

ThemesThe overarching theme of the gathering is For Our Grandchildren’s Grandchildren, and there will be a strong focus on hearing from young leaders in First Nations communities, who will talk about Intergenerational Trauma and engaging young people in strategies to tackle common impacts, including substance abuse, suicide and increasing numbers of children going into out-of-home care. Speakers will present under the banner of five sub-themes:

• Healing/Health• Lore/Law/Justice• Land/Language• Learning/Education/Employment• Our Future

Program HighlightsThis detailed program captures all the presentations, workshops and activities to be held over the four days. Some highlights include:

• media call to launch the event at Darling Harbour, with traditional dancers and cultural custodians and a range of people for interview, from event organisers to international keynote speakers – 1pm on Monday 26 November

• the opening ceremony, with a Parade of Nations, smoking ceremony and other cultural activities – 3.30pm on Monday 26 November

• Our Knowledge, Our Wisdom, Our Promise discussion with members of the Stolen Generations and Professor Helen Milroy who will explain the impact of trauma and the role of healing - 8.30am on 27 November

• NSW Minister for Indigenous Affairs, The Hon. Sarah Mitchell MLC – 9am on 28 November• youth panel, with young leaders from First Nations communities finding solutions to the critical issues - 11:30am

on 29 November• ‘Our Future Panel’, with youth mentor and former professional footballer Joe Williams and youth advocate Tonii

Skeen - 2pm on 29 November• closing address with June Oscar, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, talking about

her recent project collecting strong community voices - 3.30pm on 29 November• final concert headlined by a specially re-formed Yothu Yindi band – 4.30pm on 29 November

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InternationalKeynoteSpeakersSpeakers are travelling to Sydney from New Zealand to Norway, including these five keynotes

Vinton Hawley, Chair of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe - 8.30am on 29 NovemberWhat it means to be an American Indian in the U.S. – touching on identity, history, culture, trauma, race politics, economics, and geography

Sheri Daniels, Papa Ola Lokahi (Hawaiian health body) - 1pm on 27 November Indigenous Privilege: A Pathway to Healing – from the perspective of Hawaii’s journey

Te Angitu Leaders (youth group), Te Kaha O Te Rangatahi Trust - 1.30pm on 28 NovemberThe young leaders of Te Agitu – telling their own stories about overcoming the turmoil that their parents and grandparents had to endure

Joe Gallagher, First Nations Health Authority (Canada) - 8.30am on 28 NovemberCulturalSafetyandHumility: – transforming Health Care for First Nations people

Liv Inger Somby, Sami University Of Applied Sciences - 1.30pm 29 NovemberLifestories from elder women – the unique life stories of 27 Sami women

Ground-breakingresearchandsuccessfulgrassrootprogramsPart of what makes the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide (HOSW) gathering unique is that all sessions and workshops will be led by First Nations people. Sessions will cover a wide range of topical issues, including:

• cultural connection and services for children in out-of-home care• strengthening traditional child rearing• cultural and language reconnection • embedding historical truth telling into health policy and practice• reducing substance abuse and tackling domestic violence, suicide and mental health, and • building First Nations workforce capacity.

This abstract booklet will provide further details about presentations at the gathering. Look out for some of these:

• Prioritising cultural strengths as part of child rearing – Mishel McMahon (pg 17)• Indigenous approaches to health and wellness leadership in Canada – Janene Erickson (pg 167)• Suicide prevention for vulnerable LGBT + Māori youth – Keri Lawson-Te Aho (pg 186) • Deadly Elders Circus, empowering people with chronic illness and disability – Claire Bowditch (Pg 68)• The power of traditional food as medicine, experiences from the U.S. – Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan (pg 192)• Healing through rap music – Jonathon Potskin (pg 259)• The return of ‘Mungo Man’ and how it’s helping people to heal – Dane Kennedy (pg 243)

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Entertainment The Healing Our Spirit Worldwide event is also about celebrating traditional cultures with a strong line-up of cultural performances and entertainers, including:

• Yothu Yindi – ARIA Hall of Fame band, responsible for anthems like ‘Treaty’ • Rocky Dawuni – who’s music has featured for the FIFA World Cup and on television shows like ER • Stevie Salas – world renowned guitarist and composer• Jess Beck – emerging Australian artist

The public Gathering PlaceThe Gathering Place will be open to the public as a free event, involving traditional dancers, Indigenous musicians, market stalls and cultural and healing activities.

This will give Sydneysiders the rare opportunity to experience First Nations cultures from around the world and see and participate in activities like cultural dancing, dreamtime stories, traditional weaving, bush medicine demonstrations and traditional healers revealing remedies from 60,000 years ago.

They will also be able to purchase arts and artefacts from market stalls.

Media ToolsVisit the event website to access media releases, downloadable images and vision of the gathering. During the event, this section will be updated daily by the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide Media Team.

AccessrestrictionsMany presentations will be open to the media, however, where there is a strong emphasis on healing within the session, it may be closed to allow participants appropriate privacy and safety. Look for the signs or ask the HOSW Media Team.

Have you registered?You will gain quicker access to non-public areas if you pre-register. The HOSW Media Team will be able to provide more effective assistance if you let us know in advance what you want to attend and who you would like to interview. See contacts below.

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From the hosts InternationalIndigenousCouncil(IIC)The IIC is the driving force behind the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide movement, which began in Canada in 1992. The first gathering in Edmonton focused on addressing substance abuse – which is an ongoing symptom of trauma. However, the scope of the gathering has now widened to address the many factors affecting First Nations communities around the world and to working together to find healing opportunities.

University of SydneyWe are honoured to be the first university invited to co-host the gathering. We know education plays a vital role in healing and the health and wellbeing of First Nations people. Co-sponsoring the eighth gathering provides an invaluable opportunity to strengthen our collaborations with First Nations communities in Sydney, Australia and the world. It also allows us to re-examine how our world-renowned researchers might continue to work closely with them to address specific challenges.

TheHealingFoundationHealing Our Spirit Worldwide is a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of healing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and how we can reduce disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by effectively breaking the trauma cycle. It’s a timely opportunity to focus on healing solutions in Australia, following the recent release of an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report that illustrates the link between harmful actions like the forced removal of children and alarming levels of poor health, wellbeing and economic status in our communities.

Our sponsors The Gathering wouldn’t be possible without the support of our generous sponsors:

• NSW Aboriginal Affairs (Gold)• First Nations Health Authority (Gold)• AIATSIS (Silver)• Reconciliation Australia (Bronze)• ACON• Gamarada Universal Indigenous Resources• The Lowitja Institute• Positive Life NSW• NITV (Media Partner)• BHP (Bronze)• The Journal of Indigenous Wellness, Te Mauri – Pimatisiwin (Bronze)• Cultural Fusion (Bronze)

Media contactsMedia enquires line: 0499 877 441

The Healing Foundation: Jane O’Brien, 0499 877 441, jane.o@healingfoundation.org.auUniversity of Sydney: Rachel Fergus, 0478 316 809, rachel.fergus@sydney.edu.au

Visit the website – www.hosw.com

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