Queensland ECEC services encouraged to nominate for 2020 Reconciliation Awards

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Queensland have been encouraged to join with other QLD-based businesses, community groups and organisations working to advance reconciliation in Queensland and nominate for 2020 Queensland Reconciliation Awards.

Queensland’s Acting Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Mick de Brenni said that at a time when a conversation with Queenslanders around Treaty was underway, it was “more important than ever” to share a celebrate inspiring stories of reconciliation.

Mr de Brenni said that both the nominations process, and subsequent awards represented a further step on the “long path towards true reconciliation”, acknowledging that there were still many steps left to take in bringing Queensland together. 

He spoke about bringing all Queenslanders on the journey, through “acknowledging and respecting the history of our state that stretches back more than 60,000 years”, saying that recognising groups and individuals who go ‘above and beyond’ to foster reconciliation is an important step in building that sense of shared history.

ECEC services have been recognised in previous awards, including C&K Estelle Cardiff Community Kindergarten, who were listed as “highly commended” in the Community category in 2017 for their reconciliation journey. 

Mr de Brenni said it was inspiring to see the calibre of initiatives acknowledged over the 18-year history of the awards, which celebrate the “many Queensland businesses and organisations working hard in their communities to prioritise respectful relationships and cross-collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Queenslanders.” 

He encouraged “everyone who has an inspirational story to nominate for the awards as we continue to reframe the relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders.”

The Awards program offers a total prize pool of $25,000 across five categories — business, community, education, partnership and an overall Premier’s Reconciliation Award.

Nominations close at 5pm, Monday 24 February 2020, with further information, and online nomination forms available here.