03/09/2026
Before the conversations began, there was a moment to pause.
Delegates for the 11th Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities were welcomed with a Smoking Ceremony, a cultural practice that has been performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for thousands of years.
Used to welcome, cleanse, heal and connect people to Country, the ceremony acknowledged the deep relationship between people, culture and place.
As attendees from around the world gathered to UNSW Sydney to explore the future of healthier cities and communities, it was a meaningful reminder that every event begins with respect for the Country on which it takes place.