We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
This year’s theme for Reconciliation Week is: More than a word. Reconciliation takes action. So we’re inviting you to take part in our Week of Action.
From Thursday 27 May we will post five actions over five days on our Instagram page. It may involve making a pledge, signing a petition or researching the true history of this continent. We will post slides that you can share on Instagram stories.
Each day we will update this page with the actions you can take. But keep an eye on our Instagram page to participate.
Research the history of your local area and how it involved First Nations people. You may find out something about the Frontier Wars and conflicts that have happened there, massacres, civil rights movements, or the displacement of the original custodians.
Use our Instagram slides to share a piece of truth with us in your stories. Be sure to include a disclaimer if the truth you’re sharing is culturally sensitive. This will give your First Nations followers a chance to decide whether or not they wish to engage with it. We have provided one that you’re welcome to share before sharing your piece of truth, or you can write your own.
Head to our Instagram page and check out our example in the last slides. Tag @commongroundaustralia and use the hashtag #takeactionwithCG
First Nations people and children are overrepresented in all forms of custody. Right now, children as young as 10 can be arrested by police, charged with an offence and locked away in a prison. Our laws disproportionately impact First Nations young people, who are 26 times more likely to be incarcerated than non-Indigenous young people.
Children belong in classrooms and playgrounds, not in handcuffs, courtrooms or prison cells.
Sign the Raise the Age petition.
Go to our Instagram page to participate in the Week of Action. Tag @commongroundaustralia and use the hashtag #takeactionwithCG
First Nations people are intrinsically entwined and connected to Country. We are inherently a part of our natural ecosystems where bloodlines run deep into our land and oceans. We must protect Country so that Country can protect us.
Country needs our respect and protection. Make a pledge. What’s one thing you will do to protect Country on an ongoing basis? This could be a daily, weekly or monthly action. Head to Instagram to share our slides to make your pledge - tick a box or write your own! Tag @commongroundaustralia and use the hashtag #takeactionwithCG
In one way or another, back a First Nations person, community or brand. Make a purchase, donate your money or time, or call out racism to share the burden and exhausting pursuit of leading anti-bias work.
Head to our Instagram page. Swipe to see some examples of how you can back Blak today. Use the last slide to tell us what you’re doing by sharing it to your stories. And don’t forget to tag @commongroundaustralia and use the hashtag #takeactionwithCG
First Nations peoples have never ceded sovereignty.
There are numerous ways you can centre and support First Nations sovereignty. One way is by doing an Acknowledgement of Country (for example, at occasions, meetings and events). When you do this, recognise the sovereignty of the First Nations people/s where you are.
Another way is to use traditional place names over colonial place names. For example, Naarm (Melbourne) or Mparntwe (Alice Springs). This also applies to sacred sites and landmarks, such as Kati Thanda (Lake Eyre).
Go to our Instagram page. Use our checklist template to show us your commitment to centering First Nations sovereignty. Be sure to tag @commongroundaustralia and use the hashtag #takeactionwithCG when you share to your stories.
Learn how to write an Acknowledgment of Country.
National Reconciliation Week is every year from 27 May - 3 June. It commences on the anniversary of the 1967 referendum, and ends on Mabo Day.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all people to reflect on reconciliation in Australia. This means non-Indigenous people taking responsibility for building stronger, more respectful relationships with First Nations communities. And working harder to build a more united country - one that recognises and centres First Nations people, as the sovereign and original people of this place we call home.
The week puts a national focus on learning more about First Nations knowledge, cultures and stories. And listening to the voices of First Nations people.
Every second year Reconciliation Australia conducts the Reconciliation Barometer; a survey that measures the progress of reconciliation between non-Indigenous and First Nations people. The Reconciliation Barometer began in 2008.
The most recent report is the Reconciliation Barometer 2020.
We are a First Nations not-for-profit that exists to centre First Nations people, Country and truth-telling. We acknowledge all First Peoples of this land and celebrate their enduring connections to Country, knowledge and stories. We pay our respects to Elders and Ancestors who watch over us and guide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
