The Indigenous Digital Leadership Forum, formerly known as the Indigenous Focus Day, is a dedicated event hosted by First Nations Media Australia. It brings Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people together to share experiences and ideas about internet connectivity, digital tools, digital content and digital rights.
It provides a space to elevate the role of First Nations voices in shaping the digital transformation plans and investments of government and business. It also provides a platform for our communities to talk about our unique needs and digital aspirations.
The 2021 IDLF was held in Lismore in May at the Northern River Performing Arts centre (NORPA).
The Indigenous Digital Leadership Forum is unique in its focus on digital inclusion needs and challenges at a local level. It also creates a pathway to provide input into policy needs at a state and national level. An outcome from the forum is to develop tangible recommendations to take to government and the industry to improve digital access, affordability, skills and opportunities.
A key focus of the forum on remote and regional Australian where isolation, geography, language and cultural diversity present challenges for digital inclusion and unique and locally led solutions are needed.
The Indigenous Digital Leadership Forum will include speakers, presentations and case studies highlighting the innovation, ideas and ingenuity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, communities and a variety of organisations and collaborations. These will provide the background for facilitated small group discussions involving all participants.
The Indigenous Digital Leadership Forum is the evolution of the Indigenous Focus Day that was a part of the Broadband for the Bush Forum. The event has been held since 2013 and while the name as changed the forum will continue as an important day of knowledge sharing and collective voice.