A flag-raising ceremony to mark the 32nd anniversary of self-government in the Northern Territory has been held in Darwin this morning.

A crowd gathered at the Parliament House forecourt, where the Territory flag was raised as a young Territorian sang the national anthem.

The Territory achieved self-government on July 1, 1978.

In her 2010 Territory Day address, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Jane Aagaard, said the day was one to reflect on the Territory's push for statehood.

She said there had been support for the change at a number of statehood forums held across the Territory.

She acknowledged a small group of people protesting against the proposal for a nuclear waste facility at Muckaty Station.