National Sorry Day / Reconciliation Week

Heathmont College acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Lands that we are privileged to walk upon and learn on each day, which is the land of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation.  We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, who are our knowledge holders, story keepers and teachers. We thank them for looking after the land, sky and waterways, so we all can enjoy them, and so too can the generations to come. We recognise the special contributions of First Nations peoples and cultures, that enrich and shape the cultural identity of this nation.  

National Sorry Day

National Sorry Day was on Sunday 26th of May. National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’.

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to reflect on our shared histories and relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation.

‍The week is framed by the anniversaries of two significant milestones in our reconciliation journey - the successful 1967 Referendum (27 May) and the High Court Mabo decision (3 June). The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2024 is Now More than Ever

Heathmont College

To acknowledge these important dates, Heathmont College spent some teaching our Year 7 & 8 classes about National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week during SWEL classes. Students had the opportunity to participate in the "Sea of Hands" activity which saw students decorate a tracing of their hand in one of the colours of the Aboriginal flag. The "sea of hands" is a symbol of solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

The library also put together an impressive day to signify the occasion. 

Shane Hunt

Priority Cohorts and Community Engagement