In a powerful display of solidarity and commemoration, City of Canterbury Bankstown recently held a heartfelt morning tea to honour National Sorry Day, while simultaneously embracing the importance of reconciliation by revealing the winners of the Reconciliation Week Art Competition.

Although distinct in their purpose, these two significant events converged to foster understanding, healing and unity within our diverse community.

On Friday (26 May), members of the City’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community joined Council at a special National Sorry Day ceremony at Bankstown Girls High School.

Attendees and students heard from local Elders Aunty Noeline Holten and Aunty Jennifer Newman, and viewed a short film with stories from those impacted by the Stolen Generation.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said the ceremony commemorated and honoured those impacted by Government policies, especially the Stolen Generation.

“The forcible removal of children from their families and traditional lands is a very sad and a dark chapter in the history of our nation and must never be forgotten,” Mayor El-Hayek said.

“We must acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generation survivors and reflect on how we can play a part in the healing process for our First Nations peoples.”

Following the commemoration of National Sorry Day, Council announced the much-anticipated winners of its Reconciliation Week Art Competition.

The competition provided a platform, for children up to 17 years of age, to explore themes of what Reconciliation Week meant to them.

This year’s winners are:

• Aneeqa, Hampden Park Public School;
• Eva, Mount St Joseph Catholic College Milperra;
• Ava, St Luke's Catholic Primary School Revesby;
• Renee, Mount St Joseph Catholic College Milperra;
• Estelle, St Therese Catholic Primary School Padstow;
• Avalon, Lily, Ebony, Ti-Alee, Karliah, Kiera, Lucas, Miyay, Lowana, Keeden, Hoorulain, from the Bankstown Community Resource Group (group entry);
• Kiera-Leigh, Karliah, Nakoda, Mya, Tayla, Jakiya from the Bankstown Community Resource Group (group entry); and
• Abdullah (under 5 category).

To view the winning artworks, visit cb.city/NRWArtComp