Recognise me… because I know change is possible.
Recognise me… because I have a strong future ahead of me.
Recognise me… and allow my soul to be given back to my body.
These powerful words came from 16-year-old Aboriginal student, Rebekka Rogers, one of South Australia’s RECOGNISE Youth representatives, when she addressed the nearly 1400 strong audience at the annual Reconciliation SA breakfast held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Friday, 27 May, to celebrate the beginning of National Reconciliation Week 2016.
Those present, including a table of representatives from the Catholic Education Office, were privileged to hear from five outstanding young Aboriginal achievers who spoke about their hopes for the future. The Keynote Speaker was Tanya Hosch, Joint Campaign Director of RECOGNISE, an initiative of Reconciliation Australia and the people’s movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution and ensure there’s no place in it for racial discrimination. Under Tanya’s leadership, the RECOGNISE movement has expanded exponentially over three years, with currently more than 290,800 signed supporters.
Tanya spoke compellingly about the leadership shown by those who fought tirelessly to achieve the successful outcomes of the 1967 Referendum and the lessons learned from their struggle that apply today. She stressed that ‘real change like this will only come after an almighty struggle and it is now up to us to dig in and do the hard work.’
If you are interested in signing up to support the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution, please visit the RECOGNISE website.
Twenty students from Catholic schools in South Australia have been named among the winners in two major state-wide Humanities competitions.
Earlier this year, senior school students from across South Australia were invited to enter the 2024 Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize and the Muriel Matters Awards.
