We, the participants at this convention, affirm to all the people of this nation, that reconciliation between Australia's Indigenous peoples and other Australians is central to the renewal of this nation as a harmonious and just society which lives out its national ethos of a fair go for all; and that, until we achieve such reconciliation, this nation will remain diminished.
We further declare that reconciliation and the renewal of the nation can be achieved only through a people's movement which obtains the commitment of Australians in all their diversity to make reconciliation a living reality in their communities, workplaces, institutions, and organisations and in all expressions of our common citizenship.
Extract from A Call to the Nation adopted at the Australian Reconciliation Convention, 28 May 1997.
In 1996, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation began planning for a major convention to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum on Indigenous rights and to consider whether the reconciliation process would be assisted by a document or documents of reconciliation. The Australian Reconciliation Convention would seek to measure progress and chart a firm course for furthering reconciliation as we headed towards the Centenary of Federation in 2001.
Renewal of the Nation took place over three days, from May 26-28, 1997, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. It enabled Australians from all walks of life to be involved in shaping a more confident, mature and harmonious nation. There were 1800 participants from all sectors of the community.
However, the Convention was not limited by the numbers who were able to attend in person. It also involved many people in communities across the land, as the Convention was the culmination of months of discussion between individuals, communities and organisations, and action at local, regional and sectoral levels. Well over 100 meetings, involving more than 10,000 Australians, took place in the twelve months leading up to the Convention.
In New South Wales, regional meetings were held at Bateman's Bay, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Tamworth, Lismore, Pt Macquarie and Parramatta (Sydney), and within various sectors such as education, faith, and local government. (see detailed account of NSW Regional Meetings under National Initiatives)
Detailed records of the pre-convention meetings clearly demonstrate the extent of support for a 'People's Movement towards Reconciliation' - a movement that has carried the process beyond the Council's life. They also provided a starting point for the convention, a framework for considering the issues relevant to reconciliation.
The Australian Reconciliation Convention brought together more than 160 prominent Indigenous and non-Indigenous speakers who contributed their time, their expertise and most significantly, their inspiration to discussions which involved the 1800 convention participants in the development of 138 propositions arising out of the 32 seminar sessions.
Seminar sessions addressed the Convention's key themes:
The convention was also marked by three powerful ceremonies:
Detailed Convention proceedings and outcomes were written up in 5 volumes which can be accessed at www.aislii.edu.au/au/other/IdigLRes/car