In another move towards reconciliation with Australia’s First Nations Peoples, International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), managed by ASM Global, has celebrated NAIDOC Week by being named the winner of KARI Foundation’s inaugural Corporate Cultural Games Day.
Putting their First Nations cultural awareness to the test, ICC Sydney’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group (including Director of Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability – Samantha Glass, Senior Manager, Business Development – International and Exhibitions – Helen Mantellato, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager – Jess Zickar, Senior Manager, Public Relations – Sandra Rae, EA to the Director of Communications – Libby O’Leary, Manger, Customer Services – Juan Aranda, Event Operations Manager – Greg Andrews, and FF&E & Contracts Manager – Matthew Whitaker) competed alongside eight other organisations in four distinct sessions learning from KARI’s leadership group while demonstrating their newfound skills ranging from spear and boomerang throwing, fire starting, cooking and painting to historical and cultural knowledge.
Director of Corporate Affairs, Communication and Sustainability, Samantha Glass said: “KARI is an active and cherished partner in ICC Sydney’s Legacy Program, and the venue team is proud to foster acknowledgement of First Nations culture to local, national, and international audiences through this special connection.
“Facilitated by KARI’s cultural custodians under the leadership of KARI Chief Executive Officer Casey Ralph and Chief Commercial Officer Cain Slater, it was an honour and privilege to develop our knowledge and skills through this dynamic, insightful and fun team building event.
“To be named the winner is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group to embed inclusive cultural practices into our operations,” Ms Glass said.
Under the tutelage of KARI Cultural Unit Manager Troy Dargan, ICC Sydney’s representatives learned how to accurately throw a woomera (spear) and boomerang. They practiced the “fire drill” method to start a fire with two wooden sticks and baked quiches using an emu egg, enhanced with Indigenous ingredients warragal greens, dried bush tomatoes and garnished with pepper berries.
The team topped the trivia quiz component of the schedule that tested their knowledge of First Nations history, arts, culture, and sport. Descendant of the Murrawarri, art teacher Danielle Mate sparked the ICC Sydney team’s creativity, guiding them to produce an artwork combining traditional First Nations’ symbolism and storytelling techniques.
KARI Chief Commercial Officer, Cain Slater said: “We would love to extend heartfelt congratulations to our partner – ICC Sydney who contributed to the success of our first Corporate Cultural Games Event in celebration of NAIDOC Week 2024 – Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.
“It was a truly memorable day and ICC Sydney’s team contributed to the day’s activities with great spirit and camaraderie. We thank the team at ICC Sydney for helping to create an atmosphere of learning, connection, and fun. As we continue to celebrate NAIDOC Week, we remain committed to keeping the fire burning and fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture. We look forward to more opportunities to collaborate and celebrate with the team at ICC Sydney, and all of our corporate partners, in the future,” Mr Slater said.
Internally, ICC Sydney partners with KARI to engage its team members with fundraising, volunteering, donation drives and cultural awareness training. Opportunities such as the City2Surf fun run, KARI Christmas appeal, and yarning circles feature readily on the team’s calendar.
The NAIDOC Week KARI Corporate Cultural Games Day built on the initiatives undertaken during National Reconciliation Week, when the broader ICC Sydney team participated in a traditional yarning circle guided by KARI’s Cultural Support and Training Specialist, Anna Gannon – a unique opportunity to learn about the ancient art of weaving, connecting the team directly with Aboriginal cultural practices – not only to develop this skill, but to converse and learn from stories and experiences.
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