NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The dates for NRW remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. 26 May is National Sorry Day, a day to remember and acknowledge 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’.

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures. In 2023, the College is proud to acknowledge our 38 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students and their families. We want our students, our families, to feel celebrated and safe. We seek and create opportunities celebrate the strength and the potential of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and our students becoming emerging young leaders within the First Nations Peoples.

Our vision is for the College to be regarded as leading best practice for engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and embedding Koorie education across our whole school. We aim to continue working in partnership so that students, families, staff and the wider community have a voice.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) events/activities

Day	Curriculum	Year level	Event	People	Notes
Friday 19 May			Dreamtime Mob Gathering at Richmond FC	Koorie students
Monday 22 May	Mini HG curriculum	Year 10 and 11 only
Tuesday 23 May	Mini HG curriculum	Year 10 and 11 only
Wednesday 24 May
Thursday 25 May			Bushrangers Bay guided cultural walk – with Living Culture Ltd	Koorie students + friends (POSTPONED TO 13/6)
Friday 26 May	Mini HG curriculum	Year 10 and 11 only			National Sorry Day
Saturday 27 May					1967 Referendum anniversary
Sunday 28 May			Treaty Cup - community and celebrity basketball game (Thornbury)	All welcome	Community event (non EMC run)
Monday 29 May	Mini HG curriculum	Year 9 (Year 7, 8 and 12 optional)	Nairm Marr Djambana flag raising ceremony (Frankston Gathering Place) Staff meeting – Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony by Bunurong Land Council	EMC Captains and Koorie Leaders	Community event All staff
Tuesday 30 May	Mini HG curriculum	Year 9 (Year 7, 8 and 12 optional)	EMC Flag Raising Ceremony	All welcome	Lunch time at flag poles
Wednesday 31 May			Story time at LPS (Langwarrin Primary School)	Koorie student leaders
Thursday 1 June	Extended HG curriculum	Year 7, 8 and 12	Bay Mob expo (Nairm Marr Djambana)	Koorie students only
Friday 2 June	Mini HG curriculum	Year 9 (Year 7, 8 and 12 optional)
Saturday 3 June					Mabo Day
Sunday 4 June			Willum Warrain Reconciliation Walk (Hastings Foreshore)	All welcome	Community event (non EMC run)

EMC NRW FLAG RAISING

The students involved in organising the event were overwhelmed with the support and were very proud to share with over 100 people. We had lots of EMC Koorie students, their friends, 6 EMC Koorie families, our 3 feeder primary schools as well as Mordialloc College, plus valued DET connections including our KESOs, and a lot of community members connected to this space also. A big thank you to the staff who helped set up, keep the space safe and the tech flawlessly going, and film/video the event.

Below is an excerpt of the student speeches today to remind us why events driven by students in NRW are so important:

“At EMC, we want all the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids and our families to feel seen, and heard; and to feel like we can celebrate our culture and history. Being safe to do this at school is something that is important to us. In 1967, we were counted. In 2017, we asked to be heard. In 2023, here at EMC, we know we can do more. We want to work together, Indigenous and non Indigenous, and build on a community that joins together not just to celebrate but to answer calls to action to make things better.

And so, today, we raise these flags with hope. Hope of our freedom fighters who have returned to the Dreaming without ever giving up. Hope of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents who wanted us to be safe and happy. Hope for our children, and our children’s children, that they may never know anything different than a country of truth, healing and equity. We raise these flags with hope.”

And instead of trying to come up with our own thank you, we echo the students in thanking the EMC community for celebrating National Reconciliation Week and all the work across the Koorie Education and Engagement space every day:

“To all mob here today, as well as our allies and advocates in the community. Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for the work that happens behind the scenes, every single day, not just saved for the big events when people are looking.

Thank you all for supporting Koorie students and the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community connected to EMC. Thank you for the part you have, and will, play in self determination, in voice, treaty and truth telling in Victoria and Australia. Thank you for acknowledging and celebrating the oldest living continuous culture in the world.

Thank you for being here. When we celebrate together, we are working to build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures.. and futures.”

With gratitude, EMC Koorie students and EMC Koorie Education and Engagement team

Community

Frankston Youth Services