Sorry Day, Shepparton, 2018 – Shepparton Interfaith Network

National Sorry Day is an Australia-wide observance held on May 26 each year when the Bringing Them Home Report was tabled in the Federal Parliament. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for the Stolen Generations, their families and communities. A Sorry Day observance will be held at Monash Park Shepparton, on Friday May 25, 2018 commencing at 10:15am

Twenty years ago, the Bringing Them Home Report was tabled in the Federal Parliament. This day is now known as Sorry Day and is commemorated nationally with thousands of Australians from all walks of life participating in memorial services, commemorative meetings, survival celebrations and community gatherings to acknowledge the Stolen Generations.

Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group will conduct their Sorry Day Event on Friday 25 May 2018 at Monash Park. There will be a flag raising ceremony, wreath laying and at the end of the ceremony there will be a commemorative walk to La Trobe University.

The Greater Shepparton Sorry Day Commemoration event has been organised in partnership between the Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group, Rumbalara Aboriginal Co Operative, Greater Shepparton City Council, Yorta Yorta National Aboriginal Corporation, Shepparton RSL and La Trobe University.

“An apology begins the Healing process.

It means an understanding, a willingness to enter into the suffering

It implies a commitment to do more”

The Late Sir Ronald Wilson, Co-Author “Bringing Them Home” report

Bringing Them Home – the Stolen Generations

The first National Sorry Day was held on May 26, 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 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 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.

Fifteen years ago, ‘SORRY’ was written in the sky above 500,000 Australians walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Sorry Day is now commemorated nationally with thousands of Australians from all walks of life participating in gatherings to commemorate and remember all those who have been impacted by the government policies of forcible removal. It was these policies that resulted in the Stolen Generations