Information you need about the Program

Please read the following very carefully, or listen to the video:

Before registering to attend, it is essential that you clearly understand the following content will be included in the day’s program

We will publicly recognise several acts of wrongdoing that took place in the earliest stages of our colonising history, beginning with the armed attack launched by Lieutenant James Cook and the Endeavour crew against First Nations People at Kamay Botany Bay on 29^th April 1770.

1. Introduction	Opening of this Historic Assembly of the Nation
2. Welcome to Country	By the local First Nations people
3. An overview of our colonising history as described	As described in the British records, the impact of colonisation on the wronged parties – First Nations people must be heard here
4. Wrongdoing 1 – 29 April 1770	Four illegal offences were unleashed on First Nations at Kamay Botany Bay Input by wronged parties – First Nations people must be heard here
5. Wrongdoing 2 – Taking possession of many lands	Without consent of the inhabitants, taking possession of many lands – without consent – as described in Endeavour Journal Input by wronged parties – First Nations people must be heard here
6. Wrongdoing 3 – Sending First Fleet of 11 ships	Without consent of the inhabitants, the First Fleet of 11 ships, 1400 people arrives – as recorded by the British Input by wronged parties – First Nations people must be heard here
7. Response	Response from wider Australian community “We have heard you”
8. Proclamation	Proclamation of A Declaration of Recognition of our True History (This Declaration is the culmination/high point of An Act of Recognition)
9. Conclusion	Thank you for making this Historic Assembly happen
10. Lunch	BYO Picnic Lunch and enjoy a leisurely time with friends in the Park grounds after the Program is concluded. Bottled water supplied.

The following is a DRAFT Outline of the Day’s Program

The following are specific examples of the Program Content

    Wrongdoing 1: On 29 April 1770 four (4) illegal offences were committed against

    First Nations at Kamay Botany Bay.  These crimes began with an armed attack on

    Gweagal people – on Country    (see Endeavour Journal)  

A Truth Telling Statement proclaimed by all in unison – 2 Narrators leading:

  “We make this Truth Telling statement based on factual records:

    We publicly reject, and strongly condemn  

    This armed attack on Gweagal people – on Country.

    These colonising actions are unacceptable to us.

    They were not done in our name.       

    We recognise the truth – and we hereby declare

    These criminal offences against First Nations people were WRONG.”

A Declaration of Recognition

We gather at the place where our shared history began – Kamay Botany Bay.
Though we speak of untold loss and grief,
Yet also we are filled with gratitude – for what we have found in each other.

We see the many fair minded people who live on all these lands.
We see First Nations people who have generously shown love and forgiveness.
We see later Australians who, seeing truth, labour to make wrong things right.

And yet, we know that the heart of our nation is disturbed.
At the heart of our nation there lies a profound injustice – and a deep divide.
It is a divide between descendants of those who were here and those who came.

First Nations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, became oppressed.
On our first day of shared history, an armed attack was launched against them.
Tall ships came from the sea – and other people overran Country.

Belonging to Country, First Peoples were dispossessed of their homelands.
Elders looked and saw – old people displaced, no Place of belonging.
They looked and saw – language forbidden, culture, identity – all lost.
Young lives broken by inter-generational trauma – lives over before they began.

The time has come to recognise the truth about European arrival in this land.
The voice of First Peoples must be heard,
And the voice of all people of goodwill heard with them.

With this Declaration of Recognition we enter the Truth Telling space together.
We declare that at this place we recognise the truth – the stains on our past.

We publicly reject, and strongly condemn these colonising actions.
They are not acceptable to us – they were not done in our name.

We celebrate a truth that binds us together, the truth of our common humanity.
We commit to walking together – in our resolve to making wrong things right.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Additional Yarn Up Days

Friday 1st and Sunday 3rd March 2024 – 10.00am to 2.00pm
Lots of opportunity to sit down together and talk about issues important to you
Cost is covered with your Saturday Ticket.
BYO food to these ‘Yarn Up’ days

Logistics for the Event