The business events community’s quest to establish meaningful legacies for the host destination can find fulfilment in Australia, where convention bureaus and industry suppliers are doing even more today to provide beneficial engagements with the land’s original owners.

Recently, the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) made its Gadigal Dreaming – The Sacred Country of the Gadigal People augmented reality experience content available to event planners hosting at the venue.

The content comprises eight scenes covering gathering, fishing, corroboree, crafting, tracks, hunting, camp life and cosmology legends of Sydney’s original custodians. The augmented reality experience can be conveyed through the audience’s own devices through QR codes.

Gadigal Dreaming, created by Bilbie XR Labs – an award-winning First Nations digital storytelling enterprise and the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, with the support of Investment New South Wales, was first launched in September 2022 to bring the stories of the Gadigal People to members of the public passing through the Darling Harbour precinct.

Using art and media to “amplify First Nations voices, share the experiences of the world’s oldest living culture and preserve the history of the land on which our venue stands” is just one of the many ways ICC Sydney is using its “sphere of influence” to support Aboriginal community development and the Australian government’s Close the Gap mission, said Samantha Glass, director of corporate affairs, communication and sustainability at ICC Sydney.

The Close the Gap campaign, backed by Australia’s peak indigenous and non-indigenous health bodies, NGOs and human rights organisations, aims to close the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-indigenous Australians within a generation.

According to the government’s 2020 Closing the Gap report, 2018 data showed gaps in education (82 per cent school attendance by Aboriginal people vs 93 per cent by non-Aboriginal people) and employment (40 per cent vs 75 per cent), as well as resulting life expectancy (8.6 years for men and 7.8 years for women).

Glass believes that ICC Sydney, with 1.5 million people passing through its doors each year and many millions more passing through Darling Harbour where the venue is located, has “a massive opportunity to make a difference” through its messages, activities and business practices.

The venue’s own reconciliation journey includes a First Nations procurement strategy, where its teams actively seek out opportunities to provide business to First Nations organisations. There are now 15 First Nations suppliers in ICC Sydney’s supply chain, and numbers are growing monthly, according to Glass. For the financial year 2021/2022, ICC Sydney has spent at least A$408,000 (US$274,679) with First Nations suppliers.

It also participates in employment programmes with education partners like Eora College, NSW TAFE, KARI Foundation, Shared Knowledge to attract new, diverse talents; and hosts business events for KARI Foundation with the aim of connecting Sydney’s business community partners with First Nations-owned businesses to result in opportunities for collaboration.

“Business investments in Aboriginal services support children in their transition from primary school to high school with the equipment they need, create career opportunities for the children when they graduate, and facilitate a programme where First Nations people who are senior executives come together to undertake leadership training,” Glass detailed.

Glass noted that clients have been very supportive of ICC Sydney’s First Nations reconciliation efforts. Of the 65 per cent of international events in 2022 that activated the venue’s Legacy Program (which supports sustainability, local innovators, creative industries and more), 90 per cent chose to establish a connection with First Nations culture through performances, food, artwork or gifts.

Event planners looking to do even more to support First Nations development can draw inspiration from convention bureaus.

Business Events Sydney (BE Sydney) has compiled a wide range of experiences that allow event delegates to immerse in First Nations culture and perspectives.

Such experiences include a Welcome to Country ritual by a local custodian of the land on which the group meets; climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge with an Indigenous guide to see the city through a lens that is thousands of years old; joining a guided Aboriginal Bush Tucker tour in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney; and taking on a MasterChef-inspired Indigenous cooking challenge.

BE Sydney stated: “Sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, history, customs and knowledge raises awareness and understanding of the rich cultures and traditions that have existed in Sydney and Australia for millennia safeguards their continuation for future generations. Connecting the ancient with the modern, sharing First Nations cultures is a deeply moving experience for delegates visiting Sydney.”

Over in the Northern Territories (NT), where Aboriginal history is especially significant, making culture an integral component of any business event staged in the destination is both common sense and common practice at NT Business Events.

Director Rebecca McCaig told TTGmice: “New products and experiences for business events continue to be developed in the NT, with many associated with Aboriginal culture. Where possible, cultural experiences in the NT can be engaging, which can contribute to greater awareness.”

Enlightening cultural exchanges can come in the form of a Saltwater Ceremony in the Darwin Waterfront Precinct Lagoon, where delegates will step into the ankle-deep water and be invited by an Aboriginal Elder to connect with the local Larrakia community, who are known as saltwater people.

Delegates may also partake in a hands-on dot-painting art class where an Aboriginal artist will not just impart knowledge about the art form, but also the community’s traditions and culture.

“There are now many ways to engage with Aboriginal culture, with authentic experiences delivering valuable insights for the international business events sector. While some groups might wish to visit an NT gallery to look at award-winning artwork, other delegates might prefer to create an artwork of their own and in doing so, gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the intricate designs and motivations of Aboriginal artists,” said McCaig.

She observes that the “global marketplace increasingly expects business events activities to also add value to the host destination and where possible, leave a legacy”.

She pointed to The Youth Mill in Darwin as an avenue for establishing meaningful legacies. The Youth Mill supports young people in creative environments and encourages the preservation of culture and identity. It is often engaged to provide a performance or Welcome to Country ritual for a conference, with benefits going back into the community to develop educational programmes for disadvantaged youths.