The 2026 Koorie Youth Summit is set to return to Boonwurrung Bunurong Country this year, with newly legislated National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Sue-Anne Hunter set to deliver the keynote address.

Victoria's largest annual gathering of young mob, hosted by the Koorie Youth Council (KYC), will take place at Bunjil Place from May 13 to 15 for young people aged 18 to 28 from across the state.

For 13 years the summit has been a unique event — designed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people for their peers — offering a space for pride and solidarity. KYC says it is committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of dreamers, thinkers and change-makers.

The event provides a safe space to celebrate culture, encourage open discussion and foster collective learning, allowing young mob to share their experiences, strengthen connections and drive positive change together.

KYC chief executive, Bonnie Dukkakis, said young mob from across Victoria "possess powerful strength passed down from their Old People". However, she argued young people are "often ignored in decision-making that directly affects them".

"This exclusion shuts them out of vital conversations," Ms Dukkakis said. "The Summit offers a crucial platform to develop skills, speak out, and be heard by experts and leaders within the Koorie community."

This year's theme is Together, We're Staunch: Our Culture, Our Power, with Commissioner Hunter to address the event. She told National Indigenous Times last month her new role — long advocated for by those in the sector — is about the children and promoting and protecting their rights.

"I'm not here just to do one agenda," she said. "The agenda is the children, and the agenda is systemic change."

Ms Dukkakis said more attention had focused on the future of young mob since Ms Hunter's role was legislated.

"Young mob deserve to be treated with dignity and care, and the Koorie Youth Summit has been a steadfast testament to the power of young mob creating space for what we need," she said.

The jam-packed program, co-designed by the Summit Working Group, features conversations centred on art practices and caring for Country, alongside workshops focused on healing and wellbeing, healthy relationships, and building important life skills.

The program also includes sessions on writing and storytelling, Gellung Warl — the new Aboriginal government structure that includes the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria — Treaty conversations, and workshops grounded in culture and career pathways.

KYC community engagement facilitator, Jye Charles, said there are few opportunities for young Indigenous people in Victoria to come together to connect, grow, and share.

"At KYC, we are honoured to foster this environment with and for our young people, offering experiences they might not otherwise have," he said.

Summit registration, event details and resources can be found online.