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Students lead initiative, ‘Indigenous Lives Matter’

On Thursday 18 June KRB staff and students were invited to participate in a student-led initiative – ‘Indigenous Lives Matter’. As sons and daughters of the Sacred Heart we are all called to a Social Awareness which Impels to Action. Staff and students were invited to take a pledge representing our commitment to the fair treatment of all in our community and society, including our Indigenous brothers and sisters. Students were given a green ribbon in morning pastoral to raise awareness of the issue and to demonstrate their commitment to acting on the call to build communities based on love, justice and inclusiveness.

The pledge included:

“Today we as a school will take a pledge that not only acknowledges the existence of injustice over time but how we do not support it and will help remove it from our community and society. As sons and daughters of the Sacred Heart we are called to build community as a Christian value.”

Miki Kennedy, Head of International Students and one of the organisers of the event, said: “KRB’s 2020 Indigenous Lives Matter Pledge was read out to all year groups from ELC to Year 12, followed by a four minute and 37 second silence to represent the 437 deaths of Indigenous people in custody since 1991. This idea was raised by students and organised by students and teachers, led by the Social Justice Leader, Natasha Ong, showing true appreciation for cultural diversity in the school. Overall, this year’s Cultural Diversity events have been incredibly powerful and I, as an organiser, have also learned much on cultural diversity that I will take with me for the rest of my life through this process.