National Reconciliation Week (NRW) occurs annually in Australia from 27 May to 3 June.
The 2026 National Reconciliation Week theme, All In, is a call for all Australians to wholeheartedly commit to reconciliation every single day.
All In makes clear that reconciliation is not a passive activity 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 is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long.
Reconciliation will not happen by itself, and it will not happen without all of us.
We encourage everyone in the University community to join us in building a more united and respectful nation. Our 2026 NRW event program aims to promote understanding and learning across the five critical dimensions of reconciliation: historical acceptance, race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity, and unity.
The #NRW2026 campaign was created in collaboration with Carbon Creative, a First Nations-owned and operated marketing and creative agency. The artwork for this campaign is by renowned Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung artist Otis Hope Carey, who applied his distinctive style to create a colourful and optimistic visual representation of people from all walks of life being ‘all in’ to make change.
What’s happening on our campuses?
Check out the events taking place on campus and online.
Internal events and other activities
National Walk for Truth – The University of Melbourne is a proud supporter of the National Walk for Truth which concludes in Canberra on Wednesday 27 May. Show your support by signing the open letter to the Prime Minister calling for a resourced and legislated national process of truth-telling led in genuine partnership with First Peoples.
ALL IN at UMSU — UMSU invites students and staff to a day of reflection, storytelling, and connection. The day begins with Mob Morning Circle* at Ida Bar, a dedicated closed gathering for First Nations students, staff, and community to connect and watch the Walk for Truth arrive in Canberra. From midday, ALL IN at UMSU continues at the Amphitheatre with an Acknowledgement of Country, a curated First Nations film program exploring Country, culture, and remembrance, a truth-telling panel on placemaking, and a guided placemaking walk. Join us as we listen, learn, and honour First Nations voices and stories. Full details in the above link.
Wilin Connect 2026 — An art installation led by the creative voices of Indigenous student artists from The University of Melbourne, featuring the work of: Alice Attwood, Anahema, E Salmon, and Violet Gala. This remarkable installation honours connection, culture and community through compelling visual storytelling. View from Friday 29 May at Melbourne Connect, corner of Swanston and Grattan Streets, Carlton.
Celebrating Mabo Day – Hosted by The Mabo Centre, this Mabo Day Celebration features a very special address from Kaleb Mabo, a grandson of Eddie Koiki Mabo, who will share personal reflections on his family's legacy, the enduring significance of the Mabo decision, and what land rights, justice, and truth-telling mean for First Nations peoples today. Kaleb's address will be followed by a Q&A and a live performance by Torres Strait Islander singer, and a granddaughter of Eddie Mabo, Kristal West. Enquiries can be directed to Meegan Jia-Good (meegan.jiagood@unimelb.edu.au).
Alison Page: Creative Shape Shifter – In her first solo exhibition, designer, filmmaker and artist, Alison Page dives into the ancient and contemporary stories that drive her design process. From her experiences with the Merrima Aboriginal Design Unit, to establishing the National Aboriginal Design Agency (NADA), Page has always been motivated by a strong entrepreneurial vision and by the ways in which design can shape social and environmental justice for Aboriginal people. Discover her pioneering design through diverse objects, images and films, encompassing interiors, landscapes, public art and furniture, to jewellery and a coffee maker.
Reading Country — This project aims to deepen our understanding of the role that ‘country’ plays in the context of life, healing and connection. By prioritising active listening and learning, we aim to cultivate a greater appreciation of the culture and knowledge of First Nations.
Pursuit stories
What is National Reconciliation Week?
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 strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. The dates 27 May and 3 June commemorate two significant milestones in Australia’s reconciliation journey.
On 27 May 1967 a referendum altered the Australian Constitution with more than 90 per cent of Australian voters saying ‘Yes’ to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the census and give the Australian Government the power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Mabo decision made by the High Court on 3 June 1992 was a turning point for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' rights because it acknowledged their unique connection with the land. It also led to the Australian Parliament passing the Native Title Act in 1993.
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.
Established in 2000, Reconciliation Australia (RA), is our nation’s peak body providing leadership on reconciliation.
RA encourages all Australians to carry the spirit of reconciliation in their hearts, minds and actions as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose uninterrupted connection to this country has endured for at least 60 000 years, distinguishing them as the oldest continuous living culture on planet Earth.
Make reconciliation part of your story, and your future.
Our strategy
We acknowledge that the University of Melbourne is located on unceded Aboriginal lands, and that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are Australia’s First Peoples.
We commit to working in partnership with them to achieve the University’s core purpose: to benefit society through the transformative impact of education and research.
Murmuk Djerring, our five-year Indigenous Strategy, sets out ambitions for profound change, positioning the University as a national and global leader in Indigenous research and higher education, and advocating for Indigenous excellence.
It pledges to adopt bold, innovative and proactive approaches in collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, through 21 transformative projects aimed at embedding Indigenous perspectives across all University activities.
Download an online meeting background
To download the image below, right click and save a copy.
Change the background in Zoom or Teams by selecting the saved background image. The background will be automatically applied.
Download an email signature banner
To download the image below, right click and save a copy.
When uploading the image to your email signature, please link it to the University's National Reconciliation Week page. When updating your signature, copy and paste the image, then select the world symbol on the right hand side of the edit signature bar and enter the webpage URL in the Address field.