Dilin Duwa

What an inspiring, heartfelt week it has been at AIATSIS 2026!

From sessions commemorating Eddie Koiki Mabo on Mabo Day through to Dilin Duwa team members presenting on topics as diverse as the fight of the Batwa people in Uganda towards economic self-determination, Historical Frontier Violence, our Snapshot work and Education Pathways which meet participants at every stage of their life journey, we have been honoured to hear so many stories and receive feedback on our work.

Thank you to the AIATSIS organising committee and all presenters and participants - you've filled our cup. We look forward to seeing you next year.

Today we honour the late Eddie Koiki Mabo, a staunch and striking Murray Island man and activist of the Meriam people of the Torres Strait Islands.

Today we commemorate the life and legend of Eddie Mabo, and four other Meriam leaders, who stood with Mabo in his remarkable fight and ultimate victory in claiming back the unceded lands of Mer (Murray Island) of the Torres Strait for his people. Today marks the historic ruling of the High Court in 1992, Mabo Vs Queensland, that saw the fictional western law of Terra Nullius overturned.

Today marks the victory of the recognition of Meriam people’s right to Native Title over their land. Today marks a day that changed Indigenous Land Rights in Australia forever and a year later, the Native Title Act (1993).

Eddie Mabo did not live to see this vital victory; we honour him and remember him always.
Today Dilin Duwa commemorates Mabo Day, celebrated annually on 3 June every year.

Mabo Day Concert, Naarm – Fed Square: https://ow.ly/utVz50Z6uJK

Dilin Duwa team members are honoured to be presenting at the 2026 AIATSIS Summit.

"Our Truth. Our Power. Our Future", the 2026 theme, pays tribute to, and acknowledges, the lived experience, strength, solidarity, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Throughout Day 1, we were able to attend so many thought provoking sessions and look forward to the chance to present our research over the next few days.

We were also delighted to connect with so many MURRA Alumni and Dilin Duwa partners, including MURRA Gen 13 Selina Maguire (pictured below with Centre Director Professor Michelle Evans.

We are excited to announce the Dilin Duwa team will be presenting at the AIATSIS Summit - Our Truth. Our Power. Our Future.

The team will be speaking across three sessions and will be at booth 14 in the Exhibition Hall to have a yarn. We look forward to seeing you there! Session details:

Tuesday 2 June at 3:30pm (Room 7)
From Forest Commons to Conservation Enclosure
Peter Musinguzi, Michelle Evans & Oana Branzei

Tuesday 2 June at 4:00pm (Room 8)
Frontier Violence, Place, and Community Relations: Integrating Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence
Julie Moschion, Michelle Evans, Judy Atkinson, Cain Polidano & Angela Chen

Thursday 4 June at 12:00pm (Room 7)
First Peoples Indigenous Business Education Pathways: A Journey in Relationality
Michelle Evans, Mark Jones & Chris Riley

Reconciliation Week Begins – 27th May – 3rd June, We’re ‘All In’

Today marks the start of Reconciliation Week, a week that reminds every Australian to step up and act in recognising and connecting to First Peoples of this country and our history.

The week represents a focus on strengthening relationships, race relations, respecting and acknowledging history and a shared learning in connection.

This week Dilin Duwa reflects on this year’s theme ‘All In,’ and remembers the week’s formal beginning in 1996, and its momentum in bringing forth Reconciliation Action Plans in 2006 that saw political concepts become measurable realities for communities, schools, and workplaces across the lands.

All In. We are proud to be part of this continuing journey, embedding meaningful change into our daily operations.

Are you ready to go ? 🖤💛❤️

Week

https://ow.ly/Yv9O50Z43nk

Today marks National Sorry Day, May 26th.

At Dilin Duwa, we are thinking of and paying deepest respect to members of the Stolen Generations. We support The Healing Foundation’s message “From Sorry to Action” which calls upon every one to address the ongoing impacts of removal, trauma and disconnection that continue to this day.

Unlocking Opportunity, Dilin Duwa’s first national summit on the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP), welcomed a full house to Naarm last week to map the next steps for this important government initiated program.

With Indigenous business owners and community representatives, policy makers and corporates in the room, the Summit recognised that the first decade of the policy has largely been a success but the question now had to move beyond headline figures and ask what kind of opportunities were being created, who could access the program and on what terms, and what lasting impact could be achieved.

Through panel presentations and roundtable discussions, key themes emerged throughout the day to guide the next phase – verification and measurement, who controls the business, were the opportunities evenly distributed and accountability to the community.

The next step will involve a mapping of the Summit themes, key discussion points and recommendations which will be shared first with participants for reflection and feedback, and then more broadly with stakeholders and partners across the ecosystem.

Thank you to all our panellists and contributors. The discussions were rich and vital to the development of this important policy.

Our National Summit on Indigenous Preferential Procurement Policies and Programs is now fully booked.

We are opening a waitlist. You can register your interest at: https://ow.ly/2jun50YWnao

Thank you for your interest in this event. Excited to see where the conversation takes us!

Excited to welcome MURRA Gen 17 to Naarm and Melbourne Business School for Module 1 of the 2026 program!

Starting with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony with Uncle John Terrick, the class have had lively discussions in strategy and marketing with Professors Geoff Martin and Michal Carrington. We also welcomed back Gen 2 alumni Jasmin Herro who shared her own business and leadership journey.

With 30 participants, Gen 17 is our largest intake ever and represents an amazingly diverse group of Indigenous business representatives across the nation!

Registrations are now open for Dilin Duwa's National Summit on the Indigenous Preferential Procurement Policies and Programs.

We will present the findings of our 3-year ARC funded research into the IPPP, hear from policymakers, corporates and community representatives and co-design with attendees actionable recommendations to guide the next phase of our work and ensure that it remains relevant and impactful for our communities.

Join us to hear how Indigenous Preferential Procurement can deliver benefits to procuring firms, the Indigenous business sector and the community.

Registrations close on 14 May or earlier if fully booked.

https://ow.ly/JcJz50YS6IS