Celebrating International Days & Weeks
Thoughts in the lead up to 26th January in Australia
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In this update I explore my reflections in the lead up to 26th January, which is referred to as Invasion day or Survival day by some and Australia day by others.
Are you wondering what an ambivert is? Read more here.
I've been thinking about how content marketers and communication’s teams can approach 26th January with respect in Australia. The reason why I bring this up here on Substack is because I've already published my email newsletter and my LinkedIn newsletter - The LinkedIn Marketer for my professional community.
It’s an afterthought.
But it’s an important thought, and I've been reflecting on a blog post I wrote many years ago.
What does it mean to be Australian?
I first reflected on what it means to be Australian at the end of 2016, when I wrote a blog post over on Think Bespoke’s knowledge base. Discovering What It Means to Be Australian.
My son was 11 when I suggested he watch this video from The Ethics Centre: IQ2 Racism Debate: Stan Grant. This was the same year I wrote Discovering What It Means to Be Australian.
My son is now 19 and we’ve attended two Stan Grant bookish events together - one hosted by Readings and the other hosted by State Library Victoria. I’ve always felt drawn to Stan Grant the writer. Grant is a deep thinker and I appreciate his insights about writing. I loved hearing him share the books he recommended to his son, when he turned 18, at one of these events.
Browse the full list of books written by Grant via Readings.
Returning to my blog post from 2016, the commitment I made when I wrote Discovering What It Means to Be Australian, was to learn more about Australia’s real history - the one I was not taught at primary or secondary school.1
In 2017, I am going to continue my journey of self discovery, exploring what it means to be Australian. As far as my identity goes, I’ll keep you posted.
Sadly, I have more questions now than I did then. Since the 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum result2 I feel disheartened, and I'm looking for a sense of promise around what our future holds for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are the first peoples of Australia, and were here for 60,000+ years prior to colonisation3.
If you are interested in some of the books I read in 2024 as I continue to explore what it means to be Australian, these were featured in my latest LinkedIn newsletter - Elevating Your LinkedIn Presence: A Systemised Approach for Australian Professionals. This includes a summary of the nine books that stood out to me from what I read last year, and the reasons why you may also like to read them (if you have not already).
Always Was, Always Will Be by Thomas Mayo
This book gave me promise of a way forward since Australia's Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum result in October, 2023. It's not about whether we voted yes or no, and Mayo offers guidance as to how to support Indigenous recognition, with insight and practical tips. A necessary read if you care about what it means to be Australian.
Long Yarn Short by Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts
As a survivor of out-of-home care, a practising lawyer fighting for the freedom of others and now also a mother herself, Turnbull-Roberts, Commissioner for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Children & Young People, takes an unflinching look at the heartache and trauma caused by racist family policing, the shameful rates of child removals and the steady pipeline of First Nations children into the criminal justice system. This is a must read.
The Queen is Dead, by Stan Grant
I discovered this book on a visit to Berkelouw Book Barn thanks to the recommendation from their wonderful Manager who runs this new and used bookstore. As I handed over Hidden Potential, by Adam Grant, she looked at Grant's name on the book and commented that he'd visited the store recently.
"No, not Adam Grant." she said. "Stan Grant?" I asked. "Yes, that's the one. Have you read his latest book?" And she walked to the bookshelf to find The Queen is Dead for me. I had to ask, "What did Stan buy when he was here?"
Turns out he'd been interested in the philosophy section, in the second hand section of this treasure of a bookstore, nestled in the restaurant and barn at Bendooley Estate in the Southern Highlands of NSW. I was reminded of this encounter recently when I read Stan Grant's latest book, Murriyang: Song of Time, in which he mentions many philosophers.
I find Grant's writing always reaches into my soul, encouraging the contemplation of deep questions.
United Nations International Days & Weeks
I did start this post reflecting on how content marketers and communication’s teams can respectfully approach the 26th of January in Australia, and I'd like to explain what I mean.
One of the types of posts shared on LinkedIn company pages - or any social media accounts for a brand or organisation - include the mention of celebrating ‘key days’ across the calendar year. The obvious one that comes to mind is International Women's Day, recognised in March.
To acknowledge these days, an organisation may highlight a photo of their team attending an event related to this day or share a post, along with a branded quote (e.g. a visual is created with their own brand’s logo colours and font). In the case of International Women's Day, the organisation may also host an event with their team to acknowledge the women in their organisation.
What I have observed with some content marketing plans I’ve reviewed, is a tendency to rely heavily on these days, instead of taking a more strategic approach to specific content pillars relevant to organisation’s audience.
When this is the case, I recommend the decision makers who are responsible for the content marketing adopt a a ‘less is more’ approach. This involves reviewing the international days and weeks observed by the United Nations and aligning their content marketing plan to recognising the days that are aligned to their organisational values and industry sector.
Here’s the list of international days and weeks observed by the United Nations.
And if you’re wondering why these days are recognised:
The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. The United Nations observes designated days, weeks, years, and decades, each with a theme, or topic. By creating special observances, the United Nations promotes international awareness and action on these issues. Each international day offers many actors the opportunity to organize activities related to the theme of the day. Organizations and offices of the United Nations system, and most importantly, governments, civil society, the public and private sectors, schools, universities and, more generally, citizens, make an international day a springboard for awareness-raising actions. The majority of observances have been established by resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, although some have been designated by UN specialized agencies. The United Nations also observes anniversaries of key events in its history.4
24th January: International Day of Education
On 24th of January the United Nations recognises the International Day of Education, which feels like a meaningful side step and alternative focus to 26th January for content marketers who wish to recognise relevant key days and weeks in their LinkedIn or social media posting plans.
Under the theme “AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation”, the 2025 International Day of Education encourages reflections on the power of education to equip individuals and communities to navigate, understand and influence technological advancement.
As computer and AI-driven systems become more sophisticated, the boundaries between human intention and machine-driven action often blur, raising critical questions about how to preserve, redefine, and, ideally, elevate human agency in an age of technological acceleration.5
Consider the International Day of Education and think about how this might align to your organisation’s values, and how you might shine a light on relevant local education initiatives, such as the work of The Indigenous Literacy Foundation, or other relevant educational initiatives in your region.
No amount of books I read can replace lived experience.
I’m looking forward to attending the upcoming event at State Library Victoria, In Conversation with Stan Grant. Will I see you there?
With love & gratitude,
KPH
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I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which I live and pay my respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.
The Victorian State Government curriculum now includes teaching about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture. This was introduced after my primary and secondary school education. My first encounter with the real history of Australia was as a result of choosing an elective subject - Koori Continuum - at RMIT University during my undergraduate business (marketing) degree.
On the 14th of October 2023, Australians voted on a proposal ‘To alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.’ Only 39.9 per cent of legal votes were in favour of this change, and there was not a majority or close to a majority in any of the six Australian States (there was a majority, however, in the Australian Capital Territory). In order to support an informed discussion about the referendum and its aftermath, the Australian National University collected a detailed survey immediately following the referendum (the October 2023 Australian Constitutional Referendum Study (ACRS)/ANUpoll) from a broadly representative sample of over 4,000 adult Australians. Read the Australian National University analysis.
There are varying estimates for how long Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived on this continent, however, upwards of 60,000 years is what current research reveals. The Torres Strait region is located between the tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea and is made up of over two hundred islands. Source: AIATSIS
International days are occasions to educate the general public on issues of concern, to mobilise political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. Source: United Nations