Australian Heritage Council
Australian Heritage Council welcomes Australian Heritage Week announcement
Media release
10 December 2010
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The Australian Heritage Council today welcomed Minister Tony Burke’s announcement of the inaugural Australian Heritage Week, which will be held for the first time in 2011.
“The Council is very pleased to hear the Minister’s announcement of Australian Heritage Week and is keen to play a key role in promoting the understanding and protection of Australia’s unique heritage” said Council Chair, Prof. Carmen Lawrence.
“Australian Heritage Week is very important to all Australians because it encourages everyone to get involved and participate in activities and events in their local regions and communities.
“Heritage is about the places and stories that make Australia and Australians special. It includes our amazing natural places, our rich Indigenous heritage and the diverse historic sites that together reflect our development as a nation.
“The first Australian Heritage Week will run from Thursday 14 to Wednesday, 20 April 2011, a period when many families have the time during school holidays to take part in events and explore our heritage places.
“Council would like to encourage all local, state and national heritage organisations, historical societies as well as heritage place owners and managers to think about the kind of activities or events they could host during this week that will best show-case their unique heritage and share the stories that make their places so special.
“Events could include, for example, open days or open houses at local heritage places, guided walking tours, film screenings or exhibitions by museums, art galleries and libraries of significant heritage objects in their collections.
“Celebrations during this week could also recognise the efforts of individuals and communities all around the country to protect and conserve our important heritage places” said Prof Lawrence.
The Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities will assist heritage agencies and community heritage organisations to promote their events by hosting a website to allow all Australians to search for events in their regions. Event information will be available on www.environment.gov.au/heritage/about/heritage-week.
More information will be available in the lead up to the week on the department’s website, www.heritage.gov.au.
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