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AIATSIS joins fight to improve Indigenous Literacy
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| Author of ‘Listening to Country’ Ros Moriarty (left) and Canberra’s ABC Radio personality Genevieve Jacobs share a humourous anecdote during a fund raising event at AIATSIS for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. (Photo: John Paul Janke) |
9 September 2011
AIATSIS – the world’s leading research, collecting and publishing institution in the field of Australian Indigenous studies - recently teamed up with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to help raise vital funds in the fight to improve the literacy levels of Indigenous Australians.
On Thursday September 8, the Canberra-based Institute donated its facilities to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) which assisted the Foundation to host a unique fund raising event featuring an ‘in conversation’ between the author of ‘Listening to Country’ Ros Moriarty and Canberra’s ABC Radio 666 personality Genevieve Jacobs.
The event was hosted by the ILF and AIATSIS as part of the fifth Indigenous Literacy Day which was celebrated nationally on Wednesday 7 September 2011.
Indigenous Literacy Day aims to help raise funds to raise literacy levels and to improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Australians living in remote and isolated regions. Funds raised by the ILF help buy books and literacy resources for these communities.
This year’s event builds on previous support by the Institute for the work of Indigenous Literacy Foundation, with AIATSIS’ Award winning publishing arm - Aboriginal Studies Press – again donating proceeds from sales of the Aboriginal Australia map to the ILF.
In congratulating the ILF on its work to raise literacy levels among Indigenous communities, AIATSIS Principal Russell Taylor noted that the Institute was proud to be able to again join forces this year to help raise funds for such a worth while initiative.
“If kids in Indigenous communities can’t even read at the minimum standard, it has serious ramifications for their future education - imagine not being able to read a newspaper, a road sign or directions on a bottle of medication.”
“Sadly, this is a reality faced by many Indigenous Australians living in our remote communities today and needs to be addressed as a national priority.” Mr Taylor noted.