Throughout National Reconciliation Week 2026, PLC Sydney students and staff came together to reflect, learn and recommit to the ongoing journey of reconciliation. This year's theme, All In, calls on Australians to move beyond reflection and embrace reconciliation as an active, everyday commitment.
On 25 May, PLC Sydney students, including several of our Djurumin Gals, attended a National Sorry Day Service hosted by Roseville College. Through personal stories and shared reflection, students were encouraged to listen deeply to the voices and experiences of First Nations peoples and to consider how understanding the past can help shape a more just future.
National Reconciliation Week continued this important conversation across both the Junior and Senior Schools.
In the Junior School, Year 6 students led a moving performance of the Dharug Eora National Anthem before sharing reflections on the significance of National Reconciliation Week. Their leadership demonstrated how young people can contribute meaningfully through understanding, respect and action.
The Senior School assembly opened with Gurrumul Yunupingu's rendition of Amazing Grace, creating a reflective atmosphere as students entered Thompson Hall. Students, staff and special guests explored themes of identity, responsibility and reconciliation through personal stories, poetry, Scripture and reflection.
Special guests Pastor Ray Minniecon and Aunty Kayleen joined the assembly, contributing valuable perspectives on reconciliation and community.
One of the most powerful moments of the assembly came from Ella (Year 12), who shared her family's story and reflected on what reconciliation means today.
Speaking about her great-great-uncle, Sylvester Sullivan, a proud Aboriginal man who served in World War I, Ella recounted how he was initially prevented from enlisting because of discriminatory laws that excluded Aboriginal people from military service. Determined to serve, he eventually enlisted and fought at the Battle of the Somme, where he lost his life.
Ella reflected on the contradiction experienced by many Aboriginal servicemen, who often found acceptance and equal treatment while serving their country, only to face discrimination again upon returning home.
She challenged the audience to consider what a truly reconciled Australia might look like.
Ella also encouraged students to move beyond fear of saying the wrong thing and instead engage thoughtfully in the work of reconciliation.
Her speech embodied the spirit of the 2026 theme All In, reminding the community that reconciliation requires participation, curiosity, respect and a willingness to listen.