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. Make reconciliation part of your story and your future. See below for ideas for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) activities.
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. Make reconciliation part of your story and your future. See below for ideas for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) activities.
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. Make reconciliation part of your story and your future. See below for ideas for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) activities.
A Welcome to Country is delivered by Traditional Owners, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been given permission from Traditional Owners, to welcome visitors to their Country. A Welcome to Country occurs at the beginning of a formal event and can take many forms including singing, dancing, smoking ceremonies or a speech in traditional language or English.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) events provide the ideal opportunity to invite a Traditional Owner to your business or organisation to share their stories and deliver a Welcome to Country.
How to make this happen:
An Acknowledgement of Country is an opportunity for anyone to show respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country. It can be given by both non-Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are connected to another place.
During National Reconciliation Week (NRW), if not throughout the year, staff meetings, speeches and formal occasions should begin by offering an Acknowledgement of Country. An Acknowledgement of Country is different from a Welcome to Country, which is a formal welcome onto land and can only be delivered by Traditional Owners or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been given permission from Traditional Owners to welcome visitors to their Country. The act of being Welcomed to and Acknowledging Country are a continuation of protocols that have been practiced for thousands of years.
How to make this happen:
“I would like to acknowledge that this meeting is being held on the traditional lands of the (appropriate group) people, and pay my respect to Elders both past and present.”
Consider this statement as a guide only—you may like to personalise and localise an Acknowledgement to make it as meaningful as possible.
Flying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags is a highly visible symbol of respect. This act demonstrates Australia’s recognition of its First Peoples and promotes a sense of community partnership and a commitment to reconciliation.
How to make this happen:
During National Reconciliation Week (NRW), public events are being held across the country— in schools and early learning services, offices, boardrooms, community centres and local parks.
Many of these events are free, and in the spirit of reconciliation, open to community members interested in building new relationships based on respect.
How to make this happen:
Positive change starts with conversations which encourage the open exchange of ideas and build shared understandings. Set aside some time with your colleagues during National Reconciliation Week (NRW) to form a yarning circle and discuss the importance of reconciliation in our nation’s story, in your workplace, and in your own life.
How to make this happen:
Bringing your workplace community together for a morning tea demonstrates that reconciliation is an important priority and will encourage participants to stop, reflect and take notice of its place in their own lives.
How to make this happen:
The journey towards reconciliation forms a significant part of Australia’s story, as do the stories of both trauma and triumph told by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
TED talks give us privileged access to these stories, told first hand in moving and motivating ways by diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals.
How to make this happen:
Visiting sites of cultural significance within your town, city or surrounding national parks can provide a different perspective on the land where you live, work or play and allow you to learn about the Traditional Owners of the area.
Working with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to learn about and visit sites of historical and cultural significance will also enrich relationships, understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture, Country and place.
How to make this happen:
Social media is a great way to share your National Reconciliation Week (NRW) experiences and to join in the national conversation about reconciliation between 27 May and 3 June.
How to make this happen:
The stories and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are exceptionally diverse. Films, television and documentaries depicting these rich stories are an accessible and social way to continue your learning journey around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is the ideal time to gather colleagues for a viewing and share your responses and learnings.
How to make this happen:
Reconciliation Australia, NITV and SBS have proudly partnered to launch the Reconciliation Film Club, an online platform that supports organisations to host screenings of a curated selection of Indigenous documentaries from Australia’s leading Indigenous documentaries from Australia’s leading Indigenous filmmakers.
The Reconciliation Film Club website hosts downloadable screening kits, discussion guides, and features articles and ideas to support a successful event.
For more info about the documentaries and to book a screening, visit: sbs.com.au/reconciliationfilmclub
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have used a variety of media to tell stories for thousands of years. Paintings, carvings, weavings, dance, song and other art forms continue to be a way to pass on stories, histories and knowledge across generations. Viewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art or inviting Indigenous artists to share their practice is another way of deepening understanding of histories and cultures.
How to make this happen:
Cultural awareness training supports both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people to better understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, including their unique connection to the land, seas and waterways. This knowledge and understanding helps to build respectful and trusting relationships amongst the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Topics covered in cultural awareness training may include appropriate use of language, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and contemporary issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
How to make this happen:
Gathering for a shared meal allows us to exchange far more than food. It also encourages us to exchange knowledge, tradition and contemporary cultural forms, as well as strengthen relationships and respect.
Using native Australian ingredients could add another dimension of learning and new taste sensations to your barbeque, picnic or dinner party.
How to make this happen:
A Welcome to Country is delivered by Traditional Owners, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been given permission from Traditional Owners, to welcome visitors to their Country. A Welcome to Country occurs at the beginning of a formal event and can take many forms including singing, dancing, smoking ceremonies or a speech in traditional language or English.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) events provide the ideal opportunity to invite a Traditional Owner to your school or early learning service to share their stories and deliver a Welcome to Country.
How to make this happen:
An Acknowledgement of Country is an opportunity for anyone to show respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country. It can be given by both non-Indigenous people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are connected to another place.
During National Reconciliation Week (NRW), if not throughout the year, staff meetings, lessons, speeches and formal occasions should begin by offering an Acknowledgement of Country. An Acknowledgement of Country is different from a Welcome to Country, which is a formal welcome onto land and can only be delivered by Traditional Owners or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been given permission from Traditional Owners to welcome visitors to their Country. The act of being Welcomed to and Acknowledging Country are a continuation of protocols that have been practiced for thousands of years.
How to make this happen:
“I would like to acknowledge that this meeting is being held on the traditional lands of the (appropriate group) people, and pay my respect to Elders both past and present.”
Consider this statement as a guide only—you may like to personalise and localise an Acknowledgement to make it as meaningful as possible.
Flying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags is a highly visible symbol of respect. This act demonstrates Australia’s recognition of its First Peoples and promotes a sense of community partnership and a commitment to reconciliation.
How to make this happen:
During National Reconciliation Week (NRW), public events are being held across the country— in schools and early learning services, offices, boardrooms, community centres and local parks.
Many of these events are free, and in the spirit of reconciliation, open to community members interested in building new relationships based on respect.
How to make this happen:
Positive change starts with conversations which encourage the open exchange of ideas and build shared understandings. Set aside some time with your colleagues during National Reconciliation Week (NRW) to form a yarning circle and discuss the importance of reconciliation in our nation’s story, in your school or early learning service, and in your own life.
How to make this happen:
Bringing your school or early learning service community together for a morning tea demonstrates that reconciliation is an important priority and will encourage participants to stop, reflect and take notice of its place in their own lives.
How to make this happen:
The journey towards reconciliation forms a significant part of Australia’s story, as do the stories of both trauma and triumph told by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
TED talks give us privileged access to these stories, told first hand in moving and motivating ways by diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals.
How to make this happen:
Visiting sites of cultural significance within your town, city or surrounding national parks can provide a different perspective on the land where you live, work or play and allow you to learn about the Traditional Owners of the area.
Working with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to learn about and visit sites of historical and cultural significance will also enrich relationships, understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture, Country and place.
How to make this happen:
Reconciliation is an important part of our nation’s story and reading books can give privileged access to many different perspectives on this story and fill in historical blind spots. While we can learn much from reading alone, hosting a book club can provide even more insight by encouraging meaningful discussions about reconciliation and sharing ideas and viewpoints
How to make this happen:
Social media is a great way to share your National Reconciliation Week (NRW) experiences and to join in the national conversation about reconciliation between 27 May and 3 June.
How to make this happen:
The stories and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are exceptionally diverse. Films, television and documentaries depicting these rich stories are an accessible and social way to continue your learning journey around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is the ideal time to gather students and children for a viewing and share your responses and learnings.
How to make this happen:
Reconciliation Australia, NITV and SBS have proudly partnered to launch the Reconciliation Film Club, an online platform that supports organisations to host screenings of a curated selection of Indigenous documentaries from Australia’s leading Indigenous documentaries from Australia’s leading Indigenous filmmakers.
The Reconciliation Film Club website hosts downloadable screening kits, discussion guides, and features articles and ideas to support a successful event.
For more info about the documentaries and to book a screening, visit: sbs.com.au/reconciliationfilmclub
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have used a variety of media to tell stories for thousands of years. Paintings, carvings, weavings, dance, song and other art forms continue to be a way to pass on stories, histories and knowledge across generations. Viewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art or inviting Indigenous artists to share their practice is another way of deepening understanding of histories and cultures.
How to make this happen:
Gathering for a shared meal is a universal way to come together and allows us to exchange far more than food. It also encourages us to exchange knowledge, tradition and contemporary cultural forms, as well as strengthen relationships and respect.
Using native Australian ingredients could add another dimension of learning and new taste sensations to your barbeque, picnic or dinner party.
How to make this happen:
During National Reconciliation Week (NRW), public events are being held across the country— in schools and early learning services, offices, boardrooms, community centres and local parks.
Many of these events are free, and in the spirit of reconciliation, open to community members interested in building new relationships based on respect.
How to make this happen:
Positive change starts with conversations which encourage the open exchange of ideas and build shared understandings. Set aside some time with your friends during National Reconciliation Week (NRW) to form a yarning circle and discuss the importance of reconciliation in our nation’s story, in your workplace, and in your own life.
How to make this happen:
The journey towards reconciliation forms a significant part of Australia’s story, as do the stories of both trauma and triumph told by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
TED talks give us privileged access to these stories, told first hand in moving and motivating ways by diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals.
How to make this happen:
Visiting sites of cultural significance within your town, city or surrounding national parks can provide a different perspective on the land where you live, work or play and allow you to learn about the Traditional Owners of the area.
Working with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to learn about and visit sites of historical and cultural significance will also enrich relationships, understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture, Country and place.
How to make this happen:
Reconciliation is an important part of our nation’s story and reading books can give privileged access to many different perspectives on this story and fill in historical blind spots. While we can learn much from reading alone, hosting a book club can provide even more insight by encouraging meaningful discussions about reconciliation and sharing ideas and viewpoints.
How to make this happen:
Social media is a great way to share your National Reconciliation Week (NRW) experiences and to join in the national conversation about reconciliation between 27 May and 3 June.
How to make this happen:
The stories and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are exceptionally diverse. Films, television and documentaries depicting these rich stories are an accessible and social way to continue your learning journey around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is the ideal time to gather colleagues for a viewing and share your responses and learnings.
How to make this happen:
Reconciliation Australia, NITV and SBS have proudly partnered to launch the Reconciliation Film Club, an online platform that supports organisations to host screenings of a curated selection of Indigenous documentaries from Australia’s leading Indigenous documentaries from Australia’s leading Indigenous filmmakers.
The Reconciliation Film Club website hosts downloadable screening kits, discussion guides, and features articles and ideas to support a successful event.
For more info about the documentaries and to book a screening, visit: sbs.com.au/reconciliationfilmclub
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have used a variety of media to tell stories for thousands of years. Paintings, carvings, weavings, dance, song and other art forms continue to be a way to pass on stories, histories and knowledge across generations. Viewing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art or inviting Indigenous artists to share their practice is another way of deepening understanding of histories and cultures.
How to make this happen:
Cultural awareness training supports both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people to better understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, including their unique connection to the land, seas and waterways. This knowledge and understanding helps to build respectful and trusting relationships amongst the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Topics covered in cultural awareness training may include appropriate use of language, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and contemporary issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
How to make this happen:
Gathering for a shared meal is a universal way to come together and allows us to exchange far more than food. It also encourages us to exchange knowledge, tradition and contemporary cultural forms, as well as strengthen relationships and respect.
How to make this happen: