National Reconciliation Week
All of us, all in for reconciliation everyday
Acknowledgement of Country
The Salvation Army acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Owners of the lands and waterways of Australia that we now share.
We acknowledge their unique cultural and spiritual connections to the lands and waters, honouring their wisdom, strength and resilience as the world's oldest living cultures.
We pay respects to the Elders who play a vital role in fostering a fair and just society for all Australians.
The Salvation Army has called Australia home for over 144 years. We acknowledge that parts of our history have contributed to the profound grief and loss experienced by First Nations peoples.
We are committed to working alongside First Nations peoples to pursue justice, reconciliation and mutual flourishing.
We commit ourselves in prayer and practice to the lands of Australia and its peoples, seeking reconciliation, unity and equity.
What is National Reconciliation Week?
National Reconciliation Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of all Australians, and encourages each and every person who calls Australia home to actively contribute towards reconciliation in our country.
National Reconciliation Week began in 1993, as the ‘Week of Prayer for Reconciliation’ (during the ‘International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’) and was supported by major faith communities.
Three years later, in 1996, Australia’s first National Reconciliation Week was organised by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.
Reconciliation Australia — the lead body for reconciliation in Australia — was established in 2001, to continue promoting and facilitating reconciliation, as well as provide national leadership on reconciliation.
Why is National Reconciliation Week and reconciliation so important?
According to Reconciliation Australia, National Reconciliation Week offers an opportunity “for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.”
National Reconciliation Week 2026 invites us to be 'All In' — to see reconciliation not as a destination, but as a shared responsibility lived out through truth, courage and action. This reflection reminds us that reconciliation begins by acknowledging what has been broken and choosing to rebuild together, side by side. Reconciliation is strongest when everyone participates, taking shared responsibility for healing, justice and restored relationships, and helping shape a future grounded in dignity, respect and hope.
The Salvation Army Australia encourages and equips our corps (churches), centres, staff and volunteers to actively participate in National Reconciliation Week events and celebrations.
When is National Reconciliation Week?
National Reconciliation Week is celebrated from 27 May to 3 June each year. The dates remain unchanged every year, to align with major milestones in our country’s reconciliation journey — the success of the 1967 referendum to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the census, and the High Court Mabo decision that overturned the notion of Australia’s status as terra nullis (unoccupied land).
2026 National Reconciliation Week theme
According to Reconciliation Australia, the National Reconciliation Week theme for 2026 is ‘All in’. It is a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.
‘All In’ makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change.
The theme also reminds us that reconciliation and advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights isn’t a passive activity, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations peoples, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long.
In a heartfelt video message for National Reconciliation Week 2026, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army in Australia, highlights the importance of walking alongside others with care and respect, and uniting in our pursuit for positive change.
Reconciliation will not happen by itself, and it will not happen without all of us.
Celebrating National Reconciliation Week
Reconciliation Australia encourages individuals, community groups and organisations to learn more about the needs and process of reconciliation, participate in, or hold educational events, encouraging every person to be active in their social circle, their school or work life and their neighbourhood, to promote and ensure a just, equitable and reconciled Australia.
Local Salvation Army churches and services hold a range of National Reconciliation Week events every year with the understanding that reconciliation is ongoing and that each of us has a part to play in this essential process.
National Reconciliation Week — a Q&A with Violet Love
Violet Love is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Engagement Officer at The Salvation Army. On Violet’s great-grandfather’s side, she is part of the Gamilaroi nation. Their area extends from Western Queensland down to Northern New South Wales. Violet is immensely passionate about helping Mob transition into meaningful careers. As she says, "I hope that by doing this, I can help Mob to achieve their goals and strive for a better future.”
I would encourage all Australians to be involved in National Reconciliation Week so that they can be part of the ongoing healing journey that Reconciliation Australia aims to achieve.
By becoming involved in your local community’s National Reconciliation Week activities — often held in your nearby educational institutions — we are working towards promoting a better understanding of history, how it affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the generations that followed, until our current day.
This includes learning more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, the importance of the dates of the week — from 27 May to 3 June — and also 26 May (the day prior) — National Sorry Day, which holds significance as this day marked the first nationally televised apology from the Australian Government to the Stolen Generation, and continues to be commemorated each year.
It is also about touching on Australia’s colonial history and how it affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the devastation that occurred when they were forcibly removed from Country, the war that occurred between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, and the genocide, violence, racism and consequential generational trauma that still exists within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities today.
From a human being standpoint, it is important to learn and have a better understanding and empathy, as a fellow neighbour ‘on Country’ and ‘in Australia’.
By becoming involved, you are taking the first steps towards acknowledging its occurrence and being able to walk together as one community, reducing racism and discrimination in our current landscape, and building a better and more prosperous Australia for all our generations to come.
You could organise an event and register it on Reconciliation Australia’s website, or simply make time to learn about the history of the week, dates involved and why they are important. Share your discoveries with your colleagues and friends over a coffee and encourage discussions.
Have a yarn to your friends and colleagues who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander about your findings and ask them any questions to show your interest to learn more and have a better understanding. This is often appreciated by our people as it shows us you have a commitment to learn more.
Check out social media platforms to find local events, information and learning tools. Instagram and Facebook are among the main platforms used by Reconciliation Australia. LinkedIn also runs campaigns focusing on Indigenous inclusion in the workplace, while YouTube hosts dedicated videos and campaigns, including Reconciliation Australia resources and other content led by Indigenous peoples.
We, as a community, are all human. We all experience challenges, hardships and sometimes, heartache. Having someone else to talk to or lean on is often the difference between a sad ending or a good news story. For indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals to walk and work together, this can lead us into a future where all people have an opportunity to feel more connected, supported, and more likely to help or ask for help if needed. Healing cannot heal on its own — it requires elements of care, trust, kindness, patience and empathy, from all community members, to create a better future for us, our children and their generations to come.
Ideas to consider when celebrating National Reconciliation Week
Here are some practical actions to consider for observing National Reconciliation Week 2026 with your family, friends, community, church or workplace settings:
- Show the Stretch RAP Reconciliation Artwork Animation.
- Reach out to local First Nations community organisations and churches and find out how you can support them.
- Include an Acknowledgement of Country in your service during National Reconciliation Week. Consider holding a service outdoors if weather permits.
- In schools, communities and workplaces, ensure every event starts with either an Acknowledgement of Country or a Welcome to Country, and allow adequate time for it.
- When you acknowledge Country, do so with the understanding that many places in Australia have two names — a traditional name and an English name, and some even in other languages.
- Organise a cultural tour with friends, family or colleagues to gain a better understanding of reconciliation.
- Hold a morning tea after church or community meetings, or in a workplace, as honouring and sharing food is a great way to get people on board. Invite local Elders to share in relationships and also share their experiences and wisdom.
- Ask Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders or employees to share their stories at National Reconciliation Week, or other morning teas, lunches or dinners through the year. Stories could include personal experiences of living through either, or both, of the bookend anniversaries of National Reconciliation Week, such as the 1967 Referendum or Mabo Day.
- Invite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, leaders or Elders to significant events, such as launches and official openings.
- Hold a fundraiser and donate to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander non-profit organisation in your local area, for example, a local Indigenous childcare centre.
- Volunteer at a local Indigenous organisation, if possible, during a National Reconciliation Week event.
- Take actions to lobby for or initiate equal employment opportunities, and retention and recruitment in your area of work.
- Buy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander newspapers, for example, Koori Mail, National Indigenous Times (NIT) and Land Rights News, to learn about issues important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and also to pass around in a workplace, social group or church. Also consider placing advertisements in these publications for employment opportunities or special events from your organisation.
- Promote your National Reconciliation Week activities on social media using hashtag #NRW2026. You can also request an NRW Poster from Reconciliation Australia.
- Pledge to support local Indigenous businesses who can provide you with necessary supplies and services.
- Buy from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses for your various day-to-day organisational needs. Supply Nation connects over 5000 verified Indigenous businesses in Indigenous Business Direct with more than 820 paid corporate, government and not-for-profit members in every state and territory.
- Hold church, interest group or company-wide screenings of influential films and documentaries to educate employees about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and issues. Some examples include Mabo on ABC iView, The Last Daughter by Gravity Films or Kanyini, a film by Melanie Hogan.
- Hold a webinar and invite a panel of leaders from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to share their experiences or offer wisdom on specific topics. Ensure there is also an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative, where appropriate, on a range of panels and webinars in all fields.
- Take action and work towards change — not just during significant days but throughout the year.
- Read the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
- Immerse yourself in Indigenous culture and embrace the knowledge, wisdom and learning.
The Salvation Army Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
The Stretch RAP is the next chapter of our reconciliation journey. It has been shaped from the feedback received at the Ngumbe Bianga Guuyung yarning circles held across The Salvation Army. It details the actions The Salvation Army will take over the next three years to truly embed reconciliation initiatives into our ways of working.
Keen to know more about the Stretch RAP? Read the Stretch RAP book to learn more about the Stretch RAP, as well as The Salvation Army’s commitments and actions towards reconciliation over the coming years.
The Salvation Army Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-focused programs
The Salvation Army programs and partnerships aim to learn about, support, empower and encourage community leaders of the future, as well as help ‘close the gap’, working collaboratively towards greater equality in terms of life expectancy, health, housing, education and employment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, families and communities.
Programs range from early intervention, school engagement, youth education programs, youth leadership, youth justice, men’s and women's programs, to housing programs and services, sports programs, recovery and wellness programs, traditional arts and crafts programs, faith expressions, visits by Salvation Army rural and flying padres and much more.
To learn more, visit our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs page.
Stories
Reconciliation - a calling to care for community
National Reconciliation Week 2026 calls for all of us to be ‘all in’ for reconciliation — united in our vision and efforts for a just, equitable and reconciled Australia. Read more
Stretch RAP Launch marks ‘courageous and essential’ progress towards reconciliation
The Salvation Army officially launched its Stretch RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan), a commitment to deepening its engagement with First Nations stakeholders. Read more
New artwork celebrates listening, talking and healing: Salvation Army Stretch RAP
A new artwork, Our journey. Our business. Our Guuyungs (camps/circles), has been created to mark the launch of our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Read more
Bush tucker garden bears fruit at Riverside Salvos
Riverside Salvos is collaborating with community foster carers and Aboriginal educators to host the Minya Windas bush school in Gawler, South Australia. Read more
Yakila: Walking and talking together in reconciliation and understanding
Yakila: Walking and Talking Together’ gathering gave members around Australia the chance to communicate, share and learn together. Read more1.jpg)