Hockey Australia proud to be 'In This Together' for NRW

During this National Reconciliation Week, Hockey Australia reinforces its full support of the objectives and journey towards a fully reconciled country.

As stated on the Reconciliation Australia website, National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Hockey Australia (HA) proudly supports a number of programs that aim to strengthen these relationships. In Western Australia’s Pilbara region, HA in conjunction with major partner Fortescue Metals Group has been running an ever-growing Community Hockey Program in schools and regional communities. Then there is the Aspire to be Deadly Indigenous Hockey Program run by Cairns Hockey with a focus on helping Indigenous students to ‘Live Well, Learn Well and Lead Well’.

For the first time, HA also held an Indigenous themed weekend during the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos’ FIH Pro League matches against Argentina in Perth back in March this year. The purpose of this was predominantly an awareness and celebration of the past and ongoing contribution of Indigenous people and culture on hockey in Australia.

The theme of this year’s NRW is ‘In This Together’, a theme HA CEO Matt Favier is more than pleased to endorse through the connection and role hockey is playing in assisting to build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories and cultures.

“This week on the calendar is important for all Australians to take note of and Hockey Australia is fully behind what National Reconciliation Week is about and proud that we can promote this message of unity and mutual respect,” said Favier.

“Inclusion is one of our key values as an organisation and a sport, and this encompassing of all people is something hockey prides itself on.”

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been and continue to be an important part of the hockey community in Australia.

“We respect and acknowledge the traditional owners of this country and look forward to continuing to build on these relationships with Australia’s first people through our support of various programs such as the Pilbara Community Hockey Program and the Aspire to be Deadly Program.”

Significantly, the dates for NRW remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

For more information on NRW visit https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/