Abstract:
Suicide rates have been increasing worldwide and are especially high amongst Indigenous peoples. In response, Indigenous leaders and Elders have been leading the charge to address this situation and to find solutions. The second National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Conference held 20-21 November 2018 and the second World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference held 22-23 November 2018 at the Rendezvous Hotel Perth in Scarborough, Western Australia, aimed to bring together experts, leaders and members of the national and international Indigenous community to identify culturally appropriate approaches to suicide prevention.
The Australian Government provided funding to support the conferences which were held consecutively. This arrangement facilitated the attendance of delegates to both conferences to maximise the contribution of their experience and expertise to both the national and international dialogue.
The theme of the Conferences, Building a Stronger Tomorrow: Connecting our Communities Through Culture, reflects the unique opportunities for Indigenous people and communities, policy makers and researchers to share learnings and to collaborate on solutions that work in Indigenous suicide prevention.
The Conferences attracted over 550 delegates from across Australia and around the world. The Conferences were preceded by the World Indigenous Youth Cultural Exchange Day, held on 19 November 2018.