Reconciliation book club and movie night

First Nations peoples are still living with the trauma of colonisation, discrimination and racism. They live with feelings of distrust, hurt and powerlessness. Not all Australians know and understand the impact of our shared history. Not all Australians value and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and achievements. Together we can heal the hurt, build trust and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Together we can listen, learn and celebrate our rich national identity and build stronger relationships.

Hold a movie night or theme a book club around reconciliation or cultural awareness to help your friends and colleagues learn more and have conversations about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history.

Steps to take action

1. Have a look at our great list of Cultural Awareness Movies and Books you could use to theme a book night or movie session. You can find these suggestions by searching ‘learn more about first nations peoples’ at redcross.org.au.
2. Invite your friends, family or colleagues to a book club event or movie night (let them know what book to read ahead of time). Ask people to bring a plate of food to share and talk about the book or movie after the screening.
3. Support people to have open and respectful conversations about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history.

Helpful resources

The following resources might be useful in supporting your learning, and sharing these with members of the book or movie group might encourage and guide discussion. 

• Red Cross Reconciliation Action Plan
• Cultural awareness movies and books
• Reconciliation Australia
• Office of Aboriginal Affairs Tasmania
• Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre