9 September 2000

SEA OF HANDS RAISED
FOR RECONCILIATION

DR LOWITJA O'DONOGHUE, DR ELIZABETH EVATT AND INTERNATIONAL MUSICIANS "GIVE A HAND"

Almost 250,000 names on 120,000 plastic hands in support of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians will be displayed in Centennial Park this weekend to draw attention to the urgent need for progress on the issue.

The organisers, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR), are asking Sydney residents and visitors to come along to the event and add their names to the ever-growing number in support of formal reconciliation talks to resolve differences and address problems.

The event will be launched by Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, Joint Patron of the National Sorry Day Committee and Chair of the National Indigenous Advisory Committee for SOCOG.

DR O'Donoghue, together with United Nations Human Rights Committee member, DR Elizabeth Evatt; Chair of the NSW State Reconciliation Council, Linda Burney; and international musicians, will help lay out the hands, which constitute the largest piece of community art in Australian history. DR O'Donoghue said today:

"The tremendous public support for the Sea of Hands from around the country shows that a great many Australians believe that the time is right for serious steps to advance reconciliation. The Australian government should follow the example of other countries and sit down and talk through a negotiated settlement of outstanding issues with Indigenous communities."

"When we do this, reconciliation will change from being just an aspiration to being a reality. It will complete our development as a mature nation."

The Sea of Hands was launched in 1997 with 70,000 plastic hands displayed in front of Parliament House in Canberra. To date 250,000 signatures have been collected throughout the country.

Photo and interview opportunity with DR Lowitja O'Donoghue, DR Elizabeth Evatt and Linda Burney :

11.00am Saturday, 9th September, Sydney Centennial Park, Cannon Triangle (next to the Paddington Gates on Oxford St).

For more information contact Isabel McCrea Tel: (02) 9949 9495 or David Cooper Tel: (02) 9555 6138 or 0418 486310

Notes: ANTaR is an independent, national network of mainly non-indigenous organisations and individuals working in support of justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.

The Sea of hands at Centennial Park is supported and sponsored by Centennial Parklands