Post by University of New England (AU)

The transformative power of confronting difficult histories was in focus at the 2026 Myall Creek Symposium at UNE. While the event commemorated a dark day in history, guest speakers and panellists explored how truth-telling, deep listening and shared commitment can help communities towards healing, justice and reconciliation for future generations. The symposium featured keynote speaker, Mr Tony McAvoy SC, Australia's first Indigenous Senior Counsel and a Wirdi man from Central Queensland. "Once you engage in the truth and put down the burden of secrecy, you are freed in the sense that you can walk together with First Nations people and really this country can become what it ought to be," he said. Contributors included: * Emeritus Professor Judy Atkinson, Founder/Patron/Elder and Lead Facilitator of We Al-li – an organisation dedicated to the Culturally Informed Trauma Integrated Healing Approach * Children’s lawyer Karen Conte-Mills * Fiona Lovelock (Aboriginal Client & Community Support Officer in the NSW Local Court) * Dr Sujata Allen (Armajun Aboriginal Health Service, Armidale) ... and many others from across UNE. Thank you to Dr Julie Collins (Faculty of HASSE), Dr Andrew Lawson (UNE Law School), Tess Cullen (Oorala Aboriginal Centre), Associate Professor Peter Smith and Traci Travers (Faculty of Health and Medicine), and the Armidale Friends of Myall Creek Memorial, for their creative input in facilitating and organising this wonderful and important event. More here: https://lnkd.in/dDcjp4tA #MyallCreekSymposium #TruthTelling #Reconciliation