ECA Reconciliation Symposium – The ECA Reconciliation Symposium brings the matter of reconciliation in early childhood into the spotlight and works towards a better future for all Australians.

2024 ECA Reconciliation Symposium, Canberra, Ngunnawal Country

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) is pleased to announce the 2025 ECA Reconciliation Symposium will convene in Gimuy (Cairns, Queensland) on 16 and 17 May 2025.

Attendees at the ECA Reconciliation Symposium will learn about a culture dating back more than 40 000 years, and facilitated table discussions will lead to an atmosphere of dialogue, understanding and engagement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants.

In its eleventh year, the ECA Reconciliation Symposium brings the matter of reconciliation in early childhood into the spotlight and works towards a better future for all Australians. People from all roles across the early childhood sector are welcome.

We are pleased to have key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander speakers presenting at this important event. We will also have Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali team showcasing resources and sharing stories of early childhood services on their own reconciliation journey.

The symposium will be held over two days and the format will be highly interactive. For those participants who attended last year’s event, there will be updates from various speakers plus new presenters and ideas to build on the journey. ECA is seeking table facilitators for the duration of the event and those who attended last year may consider applying for this role during your registration.

Why should I attend?

Connect with top experts in the early childhood sector, fostering unity in the journey toward reconciliation.
Gain practical ideas for embedding reconciliation in your practice, tailored to diverse communities across Australia.
Improve communication to cultivate positive relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Non-Indigenous Australians.
Empower your team with tools for healing, truth-telling, connection and action.
Be part of a brighter future through meaningful dialogue and action, driving positive change.

Registration

Registration for the 2025 Reconciliation Symposium is OPEN.

To receive updates regarding future Reconciliation Symposiums, subscribe to the ECA Events Newsletter.

Discount for ECA Members

Early Childhood Australia members receive a discount to the symposium. If you are interested in becoming a member, there are a variety of Early Childhood Australia membership categories to choose from.

Learn More

The ECA Reconciliation Symposium:

provides the opportunity for those working to support young children in their wellbeing, education and care to engage and immerse themselves in discussion about reconciliation
brings culturally diverse perspectives, evidence-based practice, traditions and new thinking together
provides opportunities to connect with colleagues, network and share best practices
is an event for educators from all backgrounds, across all service settings and levels
will feature leaders in early education as well as informational feature speakers on reconciliation
will take delegates on a journey together, contributing shared knowledge and dialogue throughout the event
will feature formal table discussions and informal networking opportunities.

Topics will include:

becoming culturally competent and taking a leadership role
engaging with Aboriginal communities and mentors
developing a Reconciliation Action Plan
panel discussion: exploring practical examples of reconciliation in practice.

Location for 2025 ECA Reconciliation Symposium in-person event

Pullman Cairns International, Gimuy

+61 2 6242 1800 events@earlychildhood.org.au

Event Partners

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Artist acknowledgement

The artwork used as part of the branding for this event has been designed by Joyce McLean from The Seven Sisters. Joyce McLean’s story – “When I was very young I had two sisters (one finished now). My parents were very good teachers of culture and bush traditions, and I went to the school at Warburton Mission and enjoyed it very much. Holiday time I would travel back to Wannarn with my parents and we’d walk and we’d walk all the way. I also did some high school in Warburton and then I worked in the hospital. My mother died around this time. I married my husband and lived in Warburton for a long time; all my children were born there.” Then with all the family, Thelma moved to (Jameson), before the community was built. They camped there and lived a semi traditional bush life for a while, hunting every day. “We had a truck. A lot of people used to use it, my husband was the driver. We used to go to Wirrkural and stay there and came back to Jameson after the first bore was made. I then started making wooden artefacts and became a health worker at the small clinic for a while. I started being an executive on the Maruku Arts board and have been for many years.” Thelma started making baskets in 1995 after going to the first bush workshop held at Blackstone. “I made long pirti (coolamon) shaped ones and round ones with string and wool, and I used to send them on the mail plane to the Tjanpi office. Sometimes I decorated them.” Thelma is a very strong and respected community leader. In 2008, Thelma with some other community members from Jameson asked Papulankutja Artists to assist the people at Jameson to develop their art and help them to sell their art. It has taken a while, but Papulankutja Artists is now working with the Jameson Artists and Thelma is producing lovely work to sell through Papulankutja Artists.