National Reconciliation Week 2024 | Unity College

Here at Unity College we recognise and celebrate National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week with the focus on our First Nations People, and in our minds and our actions, we value and respect the cultural backgrounds of everyone. We have such a diverse cultural community. We walk together strong and strive to continually build our relationships with one another at school and within the wider community.

We recognised National Sorry Day, with a hot chocolate morning, Flag Ceremony, Welcome to Country and a talk about the sad history, but also the importance of building relationships in our communities today, by Ngarrindjeri Community members Rick and Shirley Hartman.

Reconciliation Week Unity College style was eventful and rewarding.

With the theme of NOW MORE THAN EVER we made time for ‘walking together’ and learning about each other and from each other.

We learned Ngarrindjeri songs and had Ngarrindjeri language lessons.

Students decorated the school yard with the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, designed hand prints, learned about symbols in Aboriginal art through chalk drawings and created poster murals, where a footprint from every student (and staff), was placed along side each other to represent the powerful symbol of ‘ngopun together,’ where our footprints walk together with respect and empathy for one another.

While we recognise the importance of this week long annual event, we strive to make and maintain powerful connections between our many cultures here at Unity College throughout the whole year, and appreciate and be grateful for the various languages and backgrounds, and the many unique gifts and talents, that God has given us all.

NOW MORE THAN EVER this is important.

Sharon Gierus
Indigenous Education Liaison
Unity College, Murray Bridge