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Haileybury Melbourne visiting School Captains at National Reconciliation Concert in Darwin on 26 May 2025

I loved the speech that Nia and Tim gave to our whole school as part of our opening assembly during National Reconciliation Week. They were part of a group of 10 Prefects and two staff who joined us for the week. Here it is:

We’re incredibly grateful to be here on Larrakia land, standing alongside you today — not just as your peers, but as proud Australians who recognise the significance of our trip, this week, and of course this specific moment and the responsibility it carries.

Back in Melbourne, we begin each assembly with an Acknowledgement of our Country — the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri land. On campus, we raise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags high and with pride. And while these are important traditions, they alone cannot carry the weight of our reconciliation efforts.

For us, reconciliation efforts are not symbolism, they amount to something so much more. We must confront history honestly, in an ongoing, active effort towards change. This isn’t just a responsibility; it is a shared gift that we have been granted. We’re a nation, growing in empathy and growing in truth, and acknowledging the true nature of our heritage.

And so, we came up to Darwin, not only to celebrate Reconciliation Week, but to deepen our understanding, because there is a vast difference between just recognising culture and fostering a true connection with it.

That’s why this week matters. That’s why it’s so important to be together — Haileybury Melbourne and the Haileybury Rendall School, Darwin, walking towards the change as one, because reconciliation is about unity without uniformity. We don’t all have to be the same, but we do all have to move forward, together.

This year’s Reconciliation Week theme, Bridging Now to Next, is an essential call to action, especially after events in recent years. This week is not just something to pencil in on the calendar. It is not just an excuse to roll out the black, red and yellow decorations for seven days. It is instead the important reminder of the consistent movement that Australians all around the nation are getting behind: “Now, more than ever,” we must move beyond this symbolism, we must now learn the truth and adapt to it.

And we know that together it is possible to create lasting change. Just see the shift in the Australian anthem, finally acknowledging that we are not a young nation, with over 60,000 years of rich history, but we are instead “one and free.”

That freedom is a privilege, a privilege that allows us to continue advocating for what we believe is right.

And while we are lucky, a bridge must lead somewhere.

That bridge is being built here, today, between our two schools. Our trip isn’t a gesture, it’s a commitment. By walking together, listening to each other and learning from one another, we are proving that reconciliation can live in the conscious decisions we make as schools, as leaders and as mates.

It is easy to mention or drop the word ‘reconciliation.’ But let’s be clear. Reconciliation isn’t always easy. It asks for honesty, reflection and sometimes discomfort. But it also brings pride. Pride in our culture. Pride in our progress, and pride in the fact that we, as students and young people, can be part of something that transforms our nation for the better.

Even better, as young people we are often told that we’re the leaders of tomorrow. But can we really afford to wait for tomorrow? Why can’t it be today? The power in making a difference today lies in the conversations we choose to have, and in the ones we choose not to ignore.

That’s what reconciliation needs. Not just grand gestures, but genuine, consistent, conscious choices today and every day. As young leaders, the worst thing to do is to pretend we know everything. Especially in a world that often rushes to speak, the willingness to listen and to learn, with respect, might be the most important takeaway from reconciliation.

When we first arrived in Darwin and stepped onto Larrakia land, there was an immediate sense that this place holds stories — old stories, proud stories and stories that continue to shape today. It wasn’t just a change of scenery; it was a reminder that every part of this country has a deep cultural history, as we learnt yesterday from our welcoming to Larrakia country through the Saltwater ceremony, connecting to the land, and the important stories and practices that are sacred within it.

Being here has challenged us to think more deeply about what it means to walk respectfully on land that is not ours — land that has always belonged to the First Nations people. That reflection is what reconciliation invites us into — the willingness to listen, to learn and to lean into knowledge before we speak.

The crux of our trip here is simple: connection.

It is from you and your experiences that we truly learn. Our wonderful Haileybury bubble across the nation fosters reconciliation and respect, and this week is teaching us lifelong lessons that we will take on, well beyond our Haileybury journey. Reconciliation is not for the sake of throwing around the word or just discussing the concept. Reconciliation is important for the people that we have met, and the people that we wish to one day meet.

We show our love for our country through our actions, day in and day out. We trust one another through learning from our past and moving into a brighter future. We acknowledge our history, and that ‘sorry’ is solidified through change. So, from Melbourne to Darwin, bridging our story to yours, we’re here because, despite the distance, healing happens through connection, as one Haileybury. Connection begins with respect, with listening and with heart.

Thank you for having us, and thank you for helping shape a future where every story is valued, every voice is heard and no one is left behind.

Andrew McGregor

Principal, Haileybury Rendall School