Koorie Education
& Engagement
On Tuesday 26 May, Koorie students hosted the annual EMC National Reconciliation Week Flag Raising Ceremony. This year the ceremony also fell on National Sorry Day, which added another layer of reflection to the day.
We want to thank everyone who attended the ceremony. It meant a lot for EMC students to be able to share their voices in front of a supportive community. We also acknowledge those who wanted to but were unable to attend. We know this can be a busy time of year. Even when people couldn’t be there, the ongoing support for EMC Koorie students is very appreciated. We were proud to welcome families of EMC Koorie students, EMC alumni Koorie students, representatives from VACCA, Nairm Marr Djambana, Weenthunga, AG Coombes, Reservoir High School, Victorian Electoral Commission, Victoria Police, local primary schools including Woodlands and Langwarrin Primary School, and other community members.
The ceremony was built around a student led call to action about reconciliation and the future that students want to see. All speeches were written or developed by students themselves, and for some this was the first time speaking at an event like this. One of the highlights was seeing two Year 7 Koorie students, new to the College this year, raise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. It was inspiring to hear the students so willing to speak directly and honestly about what reconciliation means to them. For example, when Nevaeh, Wemba Wemba & Yorta Yorta, Year 11, told us with absolute conviction, that “reconciliation cannot happen through just words. It cannot happen in just one week… real reconciliation requires ongoing respect, understanding, and action every single day”.
Because the ceremony fell on National Sorry Day, students reflected on the significance of the day and the ongoing impact felt by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. In his opening address, Zac, Gunaikurnai, Year 12, spoke about the importance of recognising that impact is still present. He reminded us that “saying sorry isn’t just about words. It’s about what we do, how we show respect, how we listen, and how we choose to learn and move forward.” This added to the day’s message about truth, responsibility and strength.
Kiara, EMC Vice College Captain, reminded us that reconciliation is not something for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people alone to carry, but something that sits with all of us in how we choose to act. “Every one of us has the power to stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and challenge prejudice when we see it. Being ‘All In’ means choosing courage over comfort. It means speaking up, educating ourselves, and standing for what is right, even when it is difficult”.
Across the morning, it was clear that young people aren’t just thinking about the future, they’re already shaping what needs to change right now. Korin Gamadji Institute made this point last week during their Dreamtime Expo at the G, describing the students as the ‘now’, not the ‘next’, generation.
That is why Koby’s (Dja Dja Wurrung & Waveroo, Year 12) words stayed with many:
“The future we’ve talked about today doesn’t just happen on its own.
It’s built.
Choice by choice.
Person by person.
It looks like culture being respected without question.
It looks like understanding replacing silence and discomfort.
It looks like history being taught properly, not avoided.
It looks like Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids growing up in a country where they don’t have to justify who they are just to be heard.
That future just depends on what we’re willing to do with where we are right now.”