Ian Thorpe celebrated 10 years of Fountain for youth at an intimate celebration on the foreshores of the beautiful Sydney Harbour, in what promised to be a night of magic.

Ian reflected on the past 10 years of his work at Fountain for youth and his partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The evening celebrated the richness of Indigenous Culture, guests heard from Indigenous education leaders and voices from the heartland and experienced the sounds of the Songmen.

Guests heard of Ian’s life-long commitment to lend a hand to help all of our children grow stronger and smarter and he asked guets to ’come together for tomorrow’!

The Dinner was held on Wednesday 24 November 201 at Guillaume at bennelong, Sydney Opera House.  It was ten years to the day that Ian launched his charity ‘Fountain for youth’ as a teenager, just after the Sydney Olympics.

Special Guests attending the Dinner were the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency Marie Bashir, Sir Nicholas Shehadie, leading Indigenous Educator Dr Chris Sarra, NSW Young Australian of the Year Jack Manning Bancroft, CEO of AIME, Catherine Freeman, Olympian and Founder of the Catherine Freeman Foundation, Tom E Lewis, Indigenous songwriter, flimaker, musican and many more friends who came together to celebrate the work being carried out by strong Aboriginal families, the students, teachers, health workers, story tellers and musicans.

Ian would like to sincerely thank the following organisations for their generous contributions towards the Anniversary Dinner:  Guillaume and the Staff at Guillaume and Bennelong, Giorgio Armani and Mary Chiew, Emirates, Canturi – Stefano Canturi, Sydney Theatre Company and Cate Blanchett, VOMO Resort Fiji  and Virgin Blue, Louis Vuitton and Philip Corne, Catherine Freeman and the many who dedicated their time and efforts towards ensuring the Dinner was one to remember!