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UNE proudly raises the Aboriginal Flag

July 03, 2006

Naidoc06.thumb.JPGThis year’s NAIDOC Week flag-raising ceremony at The University of New England took place today not far from the site where construction of a new building to accommodate the University’s Oorala Centre is under way.

UNE’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, speaking to an audience of people from both the University and Armidale communities (including many members of the Aboriginal community), said the new building, funded by grants from the Australian Government and UNE, would help the University to “support Indigenous culture and Indigenous education, and the development of a united society”.

The Oorala Centre provides educational resources and advice – and academic support – to Aboriginal students, as well as being a link between the University and the Aboriginal community. In addition to the Oorala Centre, the new, multi-purpose building will include areas for use by the entire University community.

Professor Pettigrew pointed out that this year’s NAIDOC Week theme, “Respect the Past – Believe in the Future”, was particularly relevant for the University, which “is about everyone’s future”. He said that one of the “great traditions” of UNE was that of “contributing to society”, and he looked forward to the University’s continuing role – enhanced by the new building – in “bringing everyone together” and “moving forward as a united community”.

The representative of Armidale’s Aboriginal community who spoke at the ceremony, held on the lawns of Booloominbah, was Toni Widders, a Senior Education Officer in the Armidale office of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training. Emphasising that “our future is in our own hands to shape”, Ms Widders said: “’Believing in the future’ is a statement of faith in our young people.”

NAIDOC events are being held around Australia this week to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Historically, NAIDOC Week is linked to the National Aboriginal Day Observance Committee, formed in 1957 to organise events around the country. From 1988 the committee became known as the “National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee”, and it was from this name that the celebrations became known as “NAIDOC Week”.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Professor Alan Pettigrew with (at left) Diane Mumbler, Director of the Oorala Centre, and Toni Widders. They were photographed during a morning tea in the Booloominbah Collection that followed the flag-raising ceremony.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at July 3, 2006 03:49 PM