Gympie Regional Council Celebrates National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week from 27 May to 3 June is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and accomplishments, and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the Reconciliation Walks, in which people came together to walk on bridges and roads across the nation to show their support for a more reconciled Australia.

Council is celebrating National Reconciliation Week by hosting several events including the Live Stream and Local: Reconciliation Week Special Music Event on Friday, 29 May at 7pm from the Gympie Civic Centre Facebook page.

The event includes performances by Deline Briscoe, a unique artist who has been fine-tuning her song writing and performance skills for two decades, and Kev Starkey who is an Adnyamathanha and Torres Strait Islander man passionate about caring for country and singing the blues.

At Council’s Meeting this week, Community Development Portfolio Councillor Dolly Jensen noted that reconciliation is about strengthening the relationship between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She emphasized that understanding the wrongs of the past and their impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is a key part of reconciliation.

“Only when we listen and understand can we start to heal as a community.”

“This Reconciliation Week, I call on everyone in our community to remember the Stolen Generations, learn about our shared history and do whatever you can to create a more just and reconciled Australia.”

“I look forward to meeting with a range of elders across our region and working with the First Nations community this Council term,” she said.

For more information, visit www.gympie.qld.gov.au/reconciliation