More than a word; Reconciliation takes action
There have been many events held in Australia to commemorate National Reconciliation Week 2021. Here are some examples of how the members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee of the Council of Catholic School Parents are taking action.
The Warraymalaya Retreat is a program that has been running for 19 years in the Diocese of Armidale. Sharon Cooke, K-12 Aboriginal Education Manager, Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Armidale, a past Chair of the CCSP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee is the facilitator of the program. Mitch Tambo, International star, ex-student of McCarthy Catholic College, Tamworth performed and spoke with the students.
We congratulate Sharon Cooke on her recent appointment as State Manager, Aboriginal Education with Catholic Schools NSW.
Students from St John the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra created a video to share their understanding of the importance of the 1967 Referendum. Thank you to Karan Taylor and Lynette Kelly for developing this video.
Several Aboriginal staff from Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga Wagga and its schools have been learning the Wiradjuri language through a partnership developed by Charles Sturt University and the Wiradjuri Council of Elders.
The dream behind the Graduate Certificate of Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage is that the:
Expertise and cultural knowledge of Elders will be combined with the dreams and aspirations of younger Wiradjuri people and allies to re-energise us all so that there is a stronger Wiradjuri Nation that can fulfil our obligations and responsibilities to Country and communities.
Pictured below is Luke Wighton, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee member and employee of Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga Wagga, on Country at The Rock near Wagga Wagga with some of his colleages from Catholic Education Diocese of Wagga Wagga.