Celebrating National Reconciliation Week (NRW) in your school or workplace is a great way to be engaged and learn more about history of the First Peoples of Australia and their achievements.
This year, we invite Australians to learn, share and grow by exploring our past, learning more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and developing a deeper understanding of our national story.
National Reconciliation Week was initiated in 1996 to provide a special focus for nationwide activities. The week is a time to reflect on achievement so far and the actions required to achieve reconciliation. This week is about hope and the future. It provides an opportunity to celebrate.
The anniversary of the 1967 Referendum (27 May) marks the start of National Reconciliation Week each year. The 1967 Referendum altered the Australian Constitution in a momentous way, with more than 90 per cent of Australian voters choosing “Yes” to count. The week commemorates two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey; the successful referendum and the High Court Mabo decision of 3 June, 1992.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Take this opportunity and visit the Reconciliation website and download your teaching notes.