CANBERRA BAPTIST CHURCH

Journey of Healing

After last year's outstanding Sorry Day activities in Canberra (and across Australia) another special day is planned for May 26th 1999. There is a National Sorry Day Committee made up of the National Stolen Generations working group and others co-opted to it. It is co-chaired by Carol Kendall of the National Stolen Generation Working Group and Rev. John Brown. (There are four Canberra based people on the national committee.) This year it will be known as the Journey of Healing and the local Canberra committee is busy planning for the occasion. Here are some of the activities that are planned.

*The launch of the Journey of Healing will take place at Uluru on May 5th, when the elders of the community there will conduct a ceremony and hand message sticks to representatives of the stolen generations from every State and Territory. The message sticks will be used by the local Bringing Them Home committees, particularly on 26th May, to invite people to join the Journey of Healing;

*SBS will show a documentary on last year's Sorry Day 8pm Sunday 23rd May;

*The Press Club is booked on May 26th (12:30 - 2:00) for a nationally televised luncheon - Audrey Kinnear (who spoke at our own apology service) and a non-Indigenous person will be speaking;

*Malcolm Fraser and Lowitja O'Donoghue are the patrons of the Journey of Healing;

*There will be a public Event in the Great Hall at Parliament House May 26th;

*An event along the lines of last year's concert in Commonwealth Park is being considered again because it was a particularly useful way for many people to come together to give expression to grass roots commitment to reconciliation. There may also be a CD of music from around last years' Sorry Day (Bobby Randall, Tiddas, Goanna, Johnny Huckle and others) and ready for a launch at such an event.

An education/ publicity campaign to promote awareness of the experience of the stolen generation is also being considered. Such a campaign would feature the ongoing impact of the removal of children from their families and the need for healing, the importance of a national Apology, and the way this healing can build community in different ways and/or to build awareness of the local history of Indigenous/ non-Indigenous relationship. It would also suggest responses that need to be made by the community at large and what concrete commitment local groups may make to healing and justice.

Thorwald and David Hunter are particularly involved in these preparations which are far from easy and straightforward with many different interest groups involved and seeking to have their particular interests highlighted. The roles that Thorwald and David are playing are a significant contribution to this activity.

THE NETWORK PLANNING FOR THE JOURNEY OF HEALING IS MEETING EVERY TUESDAY 12:15 - 1:45PM IN THE CHURCH LOUNGE - ALL ARE WELCOME.

FURTHER INFORMATION
DAVID HUNTER
Contact through the Church Office
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Last updated: 12 May 1999