First Nations International Fellowships and Partnerships

Overview

The Australian Government has committed to implement a First Nations approach to foreign policy, including trade and international development. The objective of a First Nations approach to foreign policy is to better project the shared and full identity of Australia in our foreign policy, deepen our collaboration with key global partners, strengthen resilience in the Indo-Pacific, and deliver enduring benefits for First Nations Australians. A priority for the Office is to lift the participation of First Nations Australians in international meetings, and to strengthen First Nations partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. The Office will do this through the First Nations International Fellowships Grants Opportunity and Partnerships Grants Opportunity. The opportunity comprises two complementary grant programs, one to enhance the number of First Nations Australians participating in international meetings, the second to enhance capacity of First Nations Australians to build sustainable partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. The four program objectives are: establish platforms for the Australian government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to work in partnership to embed First Nations perspectives and interests in Australia’s foreign policy, including trade and international development. lift the practical international engagement of First Nations Australians in foreign policy and deliver enhanced socio-economic outcomes for their communities. grow Australia’s relationships with international partners, particularly across the Indo-Pacific, and help solve shared global challenges, including through a foreign policy that elevates the rich heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. advance Indigenous rights globally and contribute to the practical implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).