Video message from Vice-Chancellor Martin Bean: Recognising Reconciliation Week
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1
00:00:00,260 --> 00:00:01,910
Womin Djeka everyone.
2
00:00:01,910 --> 00:00:06,580
I m stepping down as Vice-Chancellor at the
end of June, so as you can imagine I ve been
3
00:00:06,580 --> 00:00:11,440
doing some thinking about my six years at
RMIT.
4
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:16,880
When I arrived back in Melbourne after 30
years working in the US, and the UK, in many
5
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,350
ways I felt like a stranger in a strange land.
6
00:00:20,350 --> 00:00:25,430
One thing I was clear about though was my
deep desire to do all I could to support our
7
00:00:25,430 --> 00:00:30,230
first nations people and our journey of reconciliation.
8
00:00:30,230 --> 00:00:36,589
I wanted to show my support but I wasn t totally
clear about how to express it and how to speak
9
00:00:36,589 --> 00:00:37,589
out.
10
00:00:37,589 --> 00:00:43,500
Australia s reconciliation journey had moved
forward a great deal since I d been away and
11
00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:49,350
I felt a little lost and deeply fearful of
making a mistake, of offending.
12
00:00:49,350 --> 00:00:54,659
But more than anything I wanted to learn,
and I wanted to create a connection for myself,
13
00:00:54,659 --> 00:01:03,280
my family and the community I was coming back
to, a community I m so proud to call home.
14
00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:09,620
I also felt a genuine obligation as your Vice-Chancellor,
I was committed to help our University thrive
15
00:01:09,620 --> 00:01:13,190
because of inclusion and not in spite of it.
16
00:01:13,190 --> 00:01:18,580
Fortunately, I quickly discovered that Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people are pretty
17
00:01:18,580 --> 00:01:23,490
good at telling the difference between real
and fabricated commitment.
18
00:01:23,490 --> 00:01:30,820
I was warmly welcomed and supported by our
Indigenous community from day one and my fear
19
00:01:30,820 --> 00:01:33,690
was quickly replaced by resolve.
20
00:01:33,690 --> 00:01:39,950
I recognised that I had a role to play in
the change we are creating and I m so proud
21
00:01:39,950 --> 00:01:41,770
to play it.
22
00:01:41,770 --> 00:01:46,940
Some very special people helped me understand
that if I had an open mind, an open heart
23
00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:52,560
and a genuine desire for reconciliation that
they would walk with me and help me make a
24
00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:57,550
difference and in return enrich my life.
25
00:01:57,550 --> 00:02:02,370
Those people know who they are, and I will
always be incredibly grateful for their friendship,
26
00:02:02,370 --> 00:02:07,470
their stories, their counsel and for their
welcome to country.
27
00:02:07,470 --> 00:02:12,739
As a University, we are now shoulder to shoulder
pushing towards a better future.
28
00:02:12,739 --> 00:02:17,799
A future that I can see in my children and
in my family, and in all of you.
29
00:02:17,799 --> 00:02:21,889
But there is much more to be done and it starts
with building trust.
30
00:02:21,889 --> 00:02:25,359
And trust comes from actions, not words.
31
00:02:25,359 --> 00:02:28,800
And trust comes from genuine relationships.
32
00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:34,189
So this reconciliation week I ll be saying
thank you to those special people who walked
33
00:02:34,189 --> 00:02:40,579
with me over the past six years and helped
me see that my actions matter and that a difference
34
00:02:40,579 --> 00:02:41,579
can be made.
35
00:02:41,579 --> 00:02:42,579
Noon gudgin.
36
00:02:42,579 --> 00:02:42,580
<Ends>
00:00:00,260 --> 00:00:01,910
Womin Djeka everyone.
2
00:00:01,910 --> 00:00:06,580
I m stepping down as Vice-Chancellor at the
end of June, so as you can imagine I ve been
3
00:00:06,580 --> 00:00:11,440
doing some thinking about my six years at
RMIT.
4
00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:16,880
When I arrived back in Melbourne after 30
years working in the US, and the UK, in many
5
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,350
ways I felt like a stranger in a strange land.
6
00:00:20,350 --> 00:00:25,430
One thing I was clear about though was my
deep desire to do all I could to support our
7
00:00:25,430 --> 00:00:30,230
first nations people and our journey of reconciliation.
8
00:00:30,230 --> 00:00:36,589
I wanted to show my support but I wasn t totally
clear about how to express it and how to speak
9
00:00:36,589 --> 00:00:37,589
out.
10
00:00:37,589 --> 00:00:43,500
Australia s reconciliation journey had moved
forward a great deal since I d been away and
11
00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:49,350
I felt a little lost and deeply fearful of
making a mistake, of offending.
12
00:00:49,350 --> 00:00:54,659
But more than anything I wanted to learn,
and I wanted to create a connection for myself,
13
00:00:54,659 --> 00:01:03,280
my family and the community I was coming back
to, a community I m so proud to call home.
14
00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:09,620
I also felt a genuine obligation as your Vice-Chancellor,
I was committed to help our University thrive
15
00:01:09,620 --> 00:01:13,190
because of inclusion and not in spite of it.
16
00:01:13,190 --> 00:01:18,580
Fortunately, I quickly discovered that Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people are pretty
17
00:01:18,580 --> 00:01:23,490
good at telling the difference between real
and fabricated commitment.
18
00:01:23,490 --> 00:01:30,820
I was warmly welcomed and supported by our
Indigenous community from day one and my fear
19
00:01:30,820 --> 00:01:33,690
was quickly replaced by resolve.
20
00:01:33,690 --> 00:01:39,950
I recognised that I had a role to play in
the change we are creating and I m so proud
21
00:01:39,950 --> 00:01:41,770
to play it.
22
00:01:41,770 --> 00:01:46,940
Some very special people helped me understand
that if I had an open mind, an open heart
23
00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:52,560
and a genuine desire for reconciliation that
they would walk with me and help me make a
24
00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:57,550
difference and in return enrich my life.
25
00:01:57,550 --> 00:02:02,370
Those people know who they are, and I will
always be incredibly grateful for their friendship,
26
00:02:02,370 --> 00:02:07,470
their stories, their counsel and for their
welcome to country.
27
00:02:07,470 --> 00:02:12,739
As a University, we are now shoulder to shoulder
pushing towards a better future.
28
00:02:12,739 --> 00:02:17,799
A future that I can see in my children and
in my family, and in all of you.
29
00:02:17,799 --> 00:02:21,889
But there is much more to be done and it starts
with building trust.
30
00:02:21,889 --> 00:02:25,359
And trust comes from actions, not words.
31
00:02:25,359 --> 00:02:28,800
And trust comes from genuine relationships.
32
00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:34,189
So this reconciliation week I ll be saying
thank you to those special people who walked
33
00:02:34,189 --> 00:02:40,579
with me over the past six years and helped
me see that my actions matter and that a difference
34
00:02:40,579 --> 00:02:41,579
can be made.
35
00:02:41,579 --> 00:02:42,579
Noon gudgin.
36
00:02:42,579 --> 00:02:42,580
<Ends>