It’s time to change it up

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is celebrated between 27 May and 3 June. It commemorates the anniversaries of the 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision. The theme for NRW 2015 is: It’s time to change it up.

The 1967 referendum approved two amendments to the Australian constitution. More than 90% of Australians voted to give the Commonwealth a clear mandate to implement laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise them in the national census.

The High Court of Australia delivered its landmark Mabo vs Queensland decision on 3 June 1992. It legally recognised that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a special relationship to the land that existed before the colonalisation and still exists today. This recognition paved the way for land rights called Native Title.

National Reconciliation Week is an opportunity to learn about Australia’s shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how we can all join the national reconciliation effort. Anyone can get involved, and events are held right around the country in schools, offices, parks and community centres.

You can share your experience and events on twitter with the hashtag #NRW2015.