It is National Reconciliation week (May 27th - 3 June) and we acknowledge that Australian Parents for Climate Action operates on the unceded lands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands upon which we live, raise our families, work and conduct climate action. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and give thanks for their care and custodianship shown to the land, the sea, the sky and the waterways for tens of thousands of years.
As a national community organisation seeking to build a shared future in which all Australian families have agency and respect for our natural environment, Australian Parents for Climate Action recognises the significant contribution of Traditional Custodians and First Nations families who care for Country today as their ancestors have done for millenia.
The theme of Reconciliation Week 2023 is “Be a voice for generations”. We encourage our community to stand with and support some of the inspiring First Nations organisations who are leading climate action and playing a significant role in shaping society by sharing cultural knowledge. We recommend getting to know these organisations, learning from their campaigns and sharing their messages with your networks. We can each be a voice for reconciliation, and a voice for a more just and equitable society.
Together let’s amplify the voices of First Nations people and share the important work being done to care for Country, protect sacred sites and create a better future for all.
Check out these organisations -
Seed Mob the first independent Indigenous Youth Climate Network on this continent. You can watch their powerful film Water is Life here.
The First Nations Clean Energy Network, which aims to provide Aboriginal communities with ready access to household solar, drive community-owned clean energy projects and secure equitable arrangements for large-scale renewable projects on their lands
Our Islands, Our Home, a Torres Strait Islander-led campaign to protect frontline indigenous land in the Torres Strait threatened by the climate crisis.
The Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council is an alliance of Elders from independent nations of the Fitzroy River Catchment in the Kimberley, Western Australia. A First Nations led organisation working to protect this precious place.
Save our Songlines, a coalition working together to stop new industry on the Burrup Peninsula from damaging Songlines, rock art, health and climate.
Gudanji for Country, a grassroots First Nations group fighting to protect Country from the damaging effects of overgrazing, mining, and now fracking.
The First Nations Justice team at GetUp!, who are leading campaigns on ending fracking in the Northern Territory, protecting Aboriginal heritage and more.
Common Ground a First Nations led not-for-profit working to shape a society that centres First Nations people by amplifying knowledge, cultures and stories.
Childrens Ground a First Nations led organisation with a First Nations approach to address the determinants for social, cultural and economic wellbeing and creating change for future generations.
Image credit: Seed Mob
We stand in solidarity with these and other First Nations led organisations and thank them for their contribution to the climate movement and society as a whole.
P.S. Here are a couple of awesome colouring activities to help share the message of reconciliation with your kids.
