This year we are asking everyone to make a change beginning with brave actions in their daily lives – where they live, work, play and socialise. Source: Independent Education Union.
This year’s National Reconciliation Week was themed “Be Brave. Make Change” urging Australians to make greater efforts of reconciliation.
Running from May 27 to June 3, the purpose of this week was to encourage Australians to learn about “shared histories, cultures, and achievements” with the underlying theme promoting people to make a greater change towards reconciliation.
“Be Brave. Make Change.” is a challenge to all Australians— individuals, families, communities, organisations, and government—to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for the benefit of all Australians,” Reconciliation.org said of this year’s theme.
Some of the actions that people can take is to tell the truth on racism, acknowledge country as well as fight for justice and be a brave ally. The official list contains 19 actions to make a change.
This week is of great importance to Australian history. On May 27, 1967, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were given the right to be included in the census, with the Australian government allowed to make laws for Indigenous peoples.
It enabled them to vote, own property as well as move wherever they like, among many other reforms. June 3 marks the 30th anniversary of Mabo Day in which the Australian High Court delivered it’s decision to overturn “terra-nullius”, meaning “land belonging to no-one” which was declared when Australia was settled by Britain in the 1700s.
Eddie Mabo was considered to be one of the most prominent First Nations land rights activist and his hard work prevailed with the High Court establishing the Native Title Act in 1993, which enabled Indigenous Australians the right to native title claims.
Unfortunately, Mabo passed away before the Native Title was enacted however he was once quoted as saying “We must be able to retain our identity and culture”.
In 1996 the first National Reconciliation Week was launched by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. In 2001 over 300,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and other major landmarks around Australia to incite change.
