National Sorry Day

Our journey towards reconciliation is long and must be grounded in truth. Therefore, today at Dianella Secondary College we acknowledge National Sorry Day.

National Sorry Day 26th May, is an important historical event, where we remember the past policies of forced child removal. Here, we remember and reflect on the sad and painful history of the Stolen Generations, whilst recognising moments of resilience, healing and the power of saying Sorry.

As Evelyn Scott, Chairperson of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation said on the 27th May, 2000, “In true reconciliation, through the remembering, the grieving and the healing we can come to terms with our conscience and become as one in the dreaming of this land.”

Sorry Day is held on the 26 May, since 1998, The first National Sorry Day took place a year after the tabling of "The Bringing Them Home Report" in Parliament. Having a day of commemoration was one of the recommendations within the report. It is particularly significant for those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families, communities and cultural identity to assimilate. These past government policies of forced removal remained in place until the early 1970s. The children, who were taken from their families, are known as the Stolen Generation.

Sorry Day provides the opportunity for our students to make connections between their classroom learning about the histories, knowledge and experiences of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the commemorations they will see in their communities.

​Dianella Secondary College