National Reconciliation Week begins

As National Reconciliation Week activities kicked off today across the nation, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, encouraged all Australians to have a conversation about reconciliation and constitutional recognition.

The Australian Government will help people across Australia to take part in activities celebrating Reconciliation Week, through a $100,000 funding boost to Reconciliation Australia and Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation.

These will help support reconciliation concerts featuring Indigenous artists across the country, an online video competition for short films that demonstrate reconciliation, and various schools activities.’

Reconciliation Week is an important time to celebrate the contributions, cultures and history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their place in our nation.

The theme for Reconciliation Week “Let’s Talk Recognition’, makes it a great opportunity for Australians to continue the conversation about recognising Indigenous people in the Constitution.

Constitutional recognition is an important step towards recognising the unique and special place of our first peoples.

The Australian Government is working to lay the necessary foundations for a successful referendum, including through a $10 million investment to build public awareness and community support for recognising Indigenous Australians in the Constitution.

This work is being led by Reconciliation Australia and I encourage all Australians to get involved in this important national conversation and show their support for constitutional recognition.

National Reconciliation Week is held annually from 27 May to 3 June.

For more information on National Reconciliation Week, go to www.reconciliation.org.au.