National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week

By Charles Sturt University Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Brown.

Sorry

On National Sorry Day, Charles Sturt University acknowledges the harm inflicted upon the Stolen Generation as a stain on our history, in order to pave the way for a future of respect, understanding and reconciliation.

On behalf of the University, I acknowledge the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their homes, families and communities.

Now more than ever, we must prioritise the recognition and understanding of First Nations culture.

Sixteen years on from then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's formal apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples, much work needs to be done for that historic day's sentiments to be fully realised.

The first step is to pair acknowledgement with apology. I am sorry. We, as a University, are sorry.

Charles Sturt is dedicated to cultivating a deeper understanding by hosting National Reconciliation Week events on our campuses, including a free public lecture by Pro Vice-Chancellor First Nations Engagement, Professor Tony Dreise, on the importance of investing in First Nations professionals.

I encourage all Charles Sturt staff, students and stakeholders to take part in National Reconciliation Week to help build respect and strengthen a movement for reconciliation - a movement that is needed, as this year's theme suggests, 'now more than ever'.

ENDS

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