Reconciliation Week 27th May - 3rd June

Reconciliation is all about improving relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the broader Australian community. Attending an event or hosting one during National Reconciliation Week is one way you can learn about Aboriginal Australia and contribute positively to Australian society. Reconciliation Week is held each year between 27 May and 3 June. Launched by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation which started in 1998, it has been celebrated every year since.

27 May is the day that the 1967 referendum was passed. This was a national vote where more than 90% of Australians voted to change the constitution to better recognise Indigenous people as full citizens.

3 June marks the anniversary of the High Court of Australia's 1992 judgement in the celebrated Mabo case. In this case the court recognised the Native Title rights of Indigenous peoples, overturned the myth that Australia was empty of people (terra nullius) before colonisation and recognised that Indigenous people did have rights over land.

Each year during Reconciliation Week, people from across Australia gather to hold events that celebrate Indigenous cultures and raise awareness about what still needs to happen to achieve reconciliation. You can be a part of this too!

National Reconciliation Week 2013 Theme: Let's Talk Recognition

The National theme for Reconciliation Week 2013 is: Let's Talk Recognition. The theme is about the need to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Constitution. 

Download Factsheets.

What Is Reconciliation