A THOUSAND students from across Australia submitted artworks to the NSW Reconciliation Challenge.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The best 16 artworks are now on display at historic Saumarez Homestead.
The challenge is run by the NSW Reconciliation Council and aims to create a dialogue about reconciliation for children from a young age.
“For us it’s really important that kids at as young an age as possible start to think about racism, how they can treat Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people better, if they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students themselves to think about how people in their communities have made contributions,” NSW Reconciliation Council project officer Georgia Behrens said.
“We want to get in there before people start to build up prejudice and think in a discriminatory way.”
Anaiwan elder Steve Widders gave a speech at the opening of the exhibition and said it was important that children face the challenge of reconciliation together.
“Reconciliation means understanding the differences but looking at our similarities as well, as Australians we all face challenges together and we have to learn to walk as one,” he said.
“We’re living in a global village and we need to learn that we all feel the same, we’re all people here together.
“Reconciliation is a two way process so we need to come together and respect and learn from each other.”
Mr Widders said it was important that students learn to understand their differences through art.