Friday 26 May marks the 20th Australia-wide observance of National Sorry Day. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. The day also gives people the chance to write messages and sign 'sorry books' as a way of showing their commitment towards reconciliation.
The first National Sorry Day was held in 1998, one year after the tabling of a report about the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The report, known as Bringing Them Home, acknowledged that Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and communities since the early days of European occupation in Australia. Governments and missionaries were responsible for this forced separation.
Join Reading for Reconciliation, a book club dedicated to reading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors at the Brisbane Square Library.