National Day of Healing

May 26, 1998: National Sorry Day or the National Day of Healing is an annual event held annually in Australia , commemorating the Stolen Generations. It is part of the ongoing efforts towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

The first National Sorry Day was held on the one-year anniversary of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report. It examined the government practices and policies which led to the Stolen Generations and recommended support and reparations to the Indigenous population.

While Prime Minister John Howard refused to apologise, his successor Kevin Rudd issued a formal apology in 2008 on behalf of the federal government. National Sorry Day has also inspired many public acts of solidarity and in support of reconciliation.