COMMUNITY members gathered at Pangula Mannamurna yesterday afternoon for a free barbecue lunch to celebrate National Reconciliation Week.
The week runs annually from May 27 to June 3 to mark two milestone events in Australia’s reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.
The 1967 referendum altered the Australian constitution, with more than 90pc of Australians voting yes to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the census, while the Mabo decision recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have rights to the land – rights that existed before the land was colonised.
Pangula Mannamurna chief executive Andrew Birtwistle-Smith said this year’s theme of “do not keep history a mystery” encouraged all Australians to learn, share and grow together.
“This year’s campaign is about acknowledging and respecting the past,” he said.
“Reconciliation Week invites all Australians to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, to share that knowledge and help us grow as a nation.
“We each as individuals have a responsibility to work towards reconciliation and it’s important we do that both individually and as a community, because reconciliation is for the betterment of the entire community.”
Mr Birtwistle-Smith, who was recently appointed to the role, said reconciliation aimed to create a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Yesterday’s celebration at Pangula was followed by Black Screen at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre last night, a diverse program of films from indigenous film makers promoting cultural awareness.
