Proud Race

Proud Race is an exciting new initiative which enables schools to record and celebrate the stories of Indigenous Australians on life-size bollards which will be exhibited in venues throughout Australia.

The initial campaign was assisted with sponsorship from Reconciliation Victoria and Reconciliation Australia. The launch of the campaign during Reconciliation Week this year has had an enormous impact and a produced an incredible amount of interest from schools rights across Australia.

The initiative is being developed to build on the “I Feel Proud Today” campaign held in February this year, where over 4,000 students and teachers participated to commemorate the National Apology delivered by former Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Kevin Rudd in February 2008. The Apology was a milestone in the history of relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cialis dosage Australian where the National Government acknowledged with the word “Sorry” the wrongs that have been inflicted on a proud race of people and a proud culture.

The prime purpose of the Project is to commemorate the National Apology in February 2013, but is expected that it will become an annual celebration.

It is with real pleasure and pride that we acknowledge that Vicki Clark, Chairperson and Director of Yingadi Aboriginal Corporation, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2018 Australia Day Honours List. It is a just so appropriate that Vicki is recognised for her amazing contribution to her own community and to the process of National Reconciliation through the Proud Race project. Congratulations Vicki!

PROUD RACE is an exciting new initiative which enables schools to record and celebrate the stories of Indigenous Australians on life-size bollards which will be exhibited in venues throughout Australia.

The National PROUD RACE campaign is initiated and supported by the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry for Victoria and sponsored by Reconciliation Victoria and Reconciliation Australia.

A Proud Race empowers communities to participate in keeping alive the spirit of the “I Feel Proud Today” campaign, held in February this year, to commemorate the National Apology delivered by former Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Kevin Rudd in February 2008.

A clever idea from the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria is enabling Catholic Schools to celebrate local indigenous people and their stories. Proud Race is the unique initiative from the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria capturing the attention of school communities across Australia.

Since Proud Race was launched in June almost 200 schools have signed up to take part in the program including (insert your school name). The Proud Race concept will enable each school to record and celebrate the stories of Indigenous Australians on life-size bollards which will be exhibited in venues throughout Australia.

Bollard kits will be sent to schools in October including a list of resources and a registry of possible names of ‘Aboriginal People of Significance’ to research and record on each bollard. The completed bollards will be displayed together in a public space to celebrate Australia’s First People and the rich Aboriginal culture of this land.

Co-ordinator of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Ms Vicki Clark said that the response from schools had been overwhelming. “Schools are excited about the concept and are already thinking about the stories they are going to tell and how they will decorate the bollards.”

Proud Race empowers communities to participate in keeping alive the spirit of the “I Feel Proud Today” campaign, held in February this year, to commemorate the National Apology delivered by former Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Kevin Rudd in February 2008.

“It is vital that this significant date is central to our children’s understanding of our history and the story of our Country’s First Peoples,”

said Ms Vicki Clark, Coordinator of Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria.

It is anticipated that over 1,000 bollards will be placed in venues right around Australia, each one telling a story of a member of a ‘Proud Race’. It is the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria’s hope that the Proud Race program will grow as the bollards are added to each year to commemorate National Apology Day.

The National 'Proud Race' campaign is initiated and supported by the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry for Victoria and sponsored by Reconciliation Victoria and Reconciliation Australia to develop the project.

Yingadi Aboriginal Corporation respectfully acknowledges we are on the sacred lands of Australia's First Peoples. We honour the past and present Aboriginal Liberators who laid the foundation for self determination and rights of Aboriginal Peoples. We honour the ancestors who carved our footprints in the sands of time and we thank them for the gift of our unique culture.