As this will be the last National Reconciliation Week in the life of the Council, your involvement will be a good sign for the future of the People’s Movement for Reconciliation.

This week will see the launch of the Council’s final proposals about a document for reconciliation and the launch of a new body to carry reconciliation forward.

The theme for the fifth annual National Reconciliation Week is Corroboree 2000 —Sharing our future.

Sydney will host the highlight event, Corroboree 2000 on May 27-28, and all States and Territories will hold their own major events which may include bridge walks for reconciliation, flag-raising ceremonies, concerts and launches of the Council’s document. Council hopes many communities around Australia will hold their own bridge walks for reconciliation to show their commitment to ongoing reconciliation.

National Reconciliation Week is framed by two significant dates in Australian history, which symbolise our hopes for reconciliation. The 27th of May is the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum in which more than 90 percent of Australians voted to give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for Aboriginal people and for Aboriginal people to be counted in the census. The 3rd of June marks the anniversary of the High Court’s Mabo judgement in 1992 which recognised the native title rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and overturned the notion of terra nullius.

Corroboree: Corroboree is a word in the language of the Darug people from the Sydney region. Corroboree refers to a group of ceremonies, including public performances of songs and dances, covering the whole of social, economic, legal, political, religious and cultural life of the Darug people. All Aboriginal clans had similar highly developed ceremonial arrangements to allow their societies to operate in a complete way.

• Talk to your local Council or reconciliation group to find out what is planned in your area for National Reconciliation Week (NRW). If you want to help organise something, contact the Australians for Reconciliation (AFR) coordinator in your State or Territory (see below).
• During NRW, look for the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation’s pledge books in your local library, Council or through local reconciliation groups in your area and sign up your commitment to reconciliation.
• Ask your AFR coordinator about the Learning Circles Kit and consider joining or forming a learning circle group to learn more about reconciliation issues.
• Pick up a reconciliation badge from your local AFR coordinator and wear it all week. Think about what you might say if someone asks you about it.

Groups and schools

• Get involved in events in your State or Territory which celebrate the launch of the national reconciliation document and urge your school or group to declare its commitment to the document and to implementing practical actions to advance reconciliation.
• Organise a reconciliation sporting or social event such as a football match, barbecue or picnic and invite people from both the local Indigenous and wider communities.
• Join with your local faith community or leader to observe the Week of Prayer for Reconciliation. For further information contact Peter Lewis on 03 9416 4262.
• Invite a local Indigenous person to your school or organisation to share the history and culture of the Indigenous peoples from your area.

Sources of information include Council’s website www.reconciliation.org.au or Australians for Reconciliation Coordinators who can be contacted on the toll-free numbers below. CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF EVENTS IN STATES AND TERRITORIES