The 20th anniversary of the Mabo Oration will be held in Gimuy (Cairns) on Friday, honouring the legacy of Eddie 'Koiki' Mabo and the High Court decision which recognised Native Title in Australian law.
The oration will be delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, at the Australian Human Rights Commission, marking the first time the biennial event has been held in Gimuy.
Ms Kiss, a Kaanju woman, said it was an honour to deliver the oration on the 20th anniversary of a platform created to continue Mr Mabo's legacy.
"Uncle Koiki knew so well in his heart that our rights may not always be reflected in the laws and policies of our Country, but we know what they are, they are there all the same, and they are always worth fighting for," Ms Kiss said.
"As Social Justice Commissioner, I walk in the footprints of our ancestors.
"All of these rights make us stronger. All of these rights enable us to rebuild our villages to thrive as the proud Peoples, we know we are."
Meriam (Mer Island) and Yidinjdji man and Commissioner Mr C'Zarke Maza from the Office of the Commissioner (Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa) will host the event, which features a performance from the Gerib Sik Mer Island Dance Troupe.
The Mabo Oration is presented by the Queensland Human Rights Commission in partnership with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre.
Mr Mabo's daughter, Gail Mabo, will attend as a special guest.
Her artwork will be featured at the event and in a commemorative booklet marking the anniversary.
Mr Mabo led a legal challenge that resulted in the 1992 High Court ruling recognising Native Title as part of Australian common law and overturning the doctrine of terra nullius.
Mr Maza said the occasion was a powerful reminder of cultural and legal identity.
"For the people of Zenadth Kes and Torres Strait Islanders, Mabo Day is more than a date on the calendar," he said.
"It is a reminder that our laws, traditions, languages, stories, and practices form the very foundation of our rights and our identity.
"As we reflect on his life and legacy, may we be reminded of our own capacity for change and our responsibility to strive for a better world."
Queensland Performing Arts Centre chief executive Rachel Healy said the oration continued to honour a pivotal chapter in Australian legal and social history.
"The fight Eddie (Koiki) Mabo and a team of white lawyers undertook to overturn White Australia's self-serving notion of Terra Nullius was heroic, but, in his mind, there was no contest," Ms Healy said.
"Mabo never doubted for a second that 'Murray Island' in the Torres Strait was in fact Mer, his birthright."
The 20th anniversary of the Mabo Oration will be held on Friday 30 May at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre.
