Driving past the College yesterday, you may have noticed that we were flying our new flags on half mast throughout the day. This was done after a commemorative speech in front of student leaders and the College Executive Team for "National Sorry Day".
Every year on 26 May, Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, who we now know as the “Stolen Generations”. Growing up without an understanding of traditional knowledge, language, customs and culture and without a sense of connection to the land and country where they were born had a lasting negative effect on the wellbeing and identity of Stolen Generations survivors, and has had an intergenerational impact on their children and families.
We are pleased to announce that we have commenced with the process of establishing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for our College as our genuine and long lasting contribution towards the broader understanding of this history amongst our school community, and to the achievement of healing, reconciliation and truth telling in the wider community.
As part of our RAP work in progress, Ms Tanja and Ms Kaunain attended a commemorative service for National Sorry Day at City of Whittlesea where they heard from Elders and joined Uncle Herb, a survivor of the Stolen Generation, on a Sorry Walk with many members of the community before lowering the flags in front of Council to half mast and observing a Minute of Silence.