On Monday 26 January Australians will commemorate the 1788 arrival of the British First Fleet and raising of the Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove.
For First Nations peoples this day is not for celebration but rather a day to mark their survival in the face of land theft, dispossession, exclusion, and colonial violence.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 urges us to be All In for reconciliation and an Australia that embraces all of our past.
For Australians this day must be a time for listening and understanding; a day for respectful debate and recognition of First Nations peoples’ experiences during our shared history.
26 January is a time for non-Indigenous Australians to honour the unique rights, cultures and aspirations of First Nations peoples to create a stronger, more just society for all. It is a time for Australians to stand with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their struggles for justice and for reconciliation.
To be All In this 26 January means taking actions that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aspirations, self-determination and their inherent rights to have a decisive voice in matters that affect them.
It starts with learning and understanding the full impact of European colonisation on First Nations Australians and critically considering how it continues to create inequality and inequities.
Show support for reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights this long weekend by attending First Nation’s events, buying from First Nation’s businesses and advocating for First Nations voices to be heard and valued within all Australian institutions and policies. Our national institutions, corporations and sporting bodies must have strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation on boards and in senior leadership.
Be visible and vocal in your support and spark respectful conversations about 26 January and the actions we must take to be All In for a better Australia.
Reconciliation Australia is heartened by the high levels of support for reconciliation expressed by young and multicultural Australians in our latest national survey; the 2024 Australian Reconciliation Barometer (ARB).
These are signs of change, but real change requires concerted action, and effort. Reconciliation will not happen by itself. It will not happen without all of us.
On 26 January, get out of the stands and join us. All In for reconciliation and justice.
