Montreal, April 23, 2025 — The Youth Media Alliance (YMA) is proud to announce that it will pay tribute to APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) during its upcoming 2025 Awards of Excellence Gala, to be held on May 28, 2025, at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, in celebration of the network’s 25th anniversary. 

Since its founding, APTN has played a vital role in shaping the Canadian media landscape by amplifying Indigenous voices and delivering high-quality, culturally rich content for children and youth. Through its leadership and unwavering commitment to authentic and diverse storytelling, APTN has made a lasting impact on the industry and inspired the next generation of media audiences. APTN is the world’s first national Indigenous broadcaster commissioning dozens of original productions in English, French and up to 17 Indigenous languages annually. 

"APTN has transformed the media landscape for Indigenous youth and for all Canadians. Its commitment to authentic storytelling and cultural preservation has set a benchmark for what inclusive media can and should be,” said YMA Co-Presidents Athena Georgaklis and Maria Kennedy. “We are thrilled to be celebrating this remarkable 25-year legacy at our Awards of Excellence Gala. APTN’s impact resonates far beyond the screen — it empowers young people to see themselves, their languages, and their communities represented with pride and purpose.”   

To honour this important milestone, Monika Ille, Chief Executive Officer of APTN, will be in attendance to accept the tribute on behalf of the network.  
 
The celebration will continue with an exciting and interactive performance by the All Nations Juniors Youth Drum Group, based in Tkaronto. Founded in 2012 through Toronto Council Fire’s Little Embers Youth program, the group brings together youth from various Nations — Dakota, Anishinaabe, Chippewa, Cree, Haudenosaunee — along with invited non-Indigenous youth, hence the name All Nations. Their performance will feature a dynamic blend of drumming, chanting, dance, and a whole lot of fun! 

About APTN 

APTN launched in 1999 as the first national Indigenous broadcaster in the world. Since then, the network has become a global leader in programming that celebrates the rich diversity of Indigenous Peoples from home and abroad. A respected charitable broadcaster, APTN shares authentic stories to Canadian households through basic channel packages via two distinct HD channels: APTN (English and French language programming) and APTN Languages (Indigenous language programming). APTN proudly features over 80% Canadian content and inspires audiences via multiple platforms, including its Indigenous-focused streaming service, APTN lumi.