Converge on Shepparton is an event taking place on Saturday 19 March 2016. This is part of the Shepparton Festival. Converge on Shepparton will commence with a Walk for Reconciliation – a walk from Queens Gardens to Victoria Park Lake and opening the festival with a welcome to country and smoking ceremony.
On Thursday 17 March, the Shepparton Regional Reconciliation Group met with local indigenous peoples at the Mooroopna Library to hear of the gap between mainstream society and indigenous life on country. A number of people attended; many were from the Shepparton Interfaith Network. There were stories of identity, stories of children in care – residential and foster care, and stories of children taken off country.
There were many other stories around Closing the Gap told. It was important to observe that while this was a bit of a yarn-up, the speakers and tellers were all local indigenous peoples. This was not a meeting seeking solutions; rather, a meeting of understanding the differences, understanding the strength of families and the needs of families experiencing stress. Different experiences and different needs of children, parents and families were all shared.
Walk for Reconciliation
The Shepparton Regional Reconciliation Group invites you to “Come and celebrate our sense of collective community, talk about our past and our way forward together”.
Meet with us in Queens Gardens for our walk to join the Converge Festival at Lake Victoria
When: Saturday 19 March 2016
Time: Meet at 3.00pm, leaving the Gardens at 3.40
Where: Queens Gardens, Welsford St, opposite Eastbank Centre
For more information Dierdre 5821 6600 or Bobby 0434 279 653
Download a Flyer for this Event
