What is National Sorry Day?
National Sorry Day is held on 26 May each year in Australia to remember and acknowledge the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families, known as the Stolen Generations.
The first National Sorry Day was held in 1998, one year after the release of the Bringing Them Home report. The report, by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, documented the forced removal of Indigenous children.
For much of the 20th century, government policies allowed children to be taken from their families and placed in institutions or with non-Indigenous families. Many suffered lasting trauma.
The National Apology
On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered a formal National Apology to the Stolen Generations in federal Parliament. The apology was broadcast across the country and watched by many in public gatherings.
National Sorry Day is followed by National Reconciliation Week, which begins on 27 May. Events across Australia include ceremonies, walks, talks and school activities.
In 2000, the Walk for Reconciliation across the Sydney Harbour Bridge drew around 250,000 people, one of the largest public demonstrations in Australian history. Sorry Day remains a time for reflection and healing.
Did You Know?
The Healing Foundation supports Stolen Generations survivors and their families.