Anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart

26 May

26 May marks the anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, issued in 2017 following the First Nations National Constitutional Convention at Uluru. It is an invitation to understand the history of First Nations advocacy and the calls for meaningful participation, agreement-making and truth-telling.

How the Statement developed

The Statement followed a process of First Nations Regional Dialogues held across Australia in 2016 and 2017. Participants considered constitutional recognition and options for structural reform before delegates gathered at Uluru.

This history matters because the Statement was the outcome of deliberation and discussion, rather than simply a slogan created for a later election campaign. The original Statement and accounts of the Dialogues allow readers to explore the reasoning and aspirations behind its proposals.

What it called for

The Statement called for a First Nations Voice protected by the Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to supervise agreement-making and truth-telling. These connected proposals addressed representation, relationships and the way Australia understands its history.

The Statement also affirms continuing First Nations sovereignty and connection with Country. Reading the full document helps keep those foundations in view. A brief explanation of its proposals cannot capture every part of its language or the experiences brought by participants to the Dialogues.

The anniversary and the referendum

The Statement is dated 26 May 2017. The organisation behind the Uluru Statement and the Australian Parliament’s document record agree on this date. It coincides with National Sorry Day, which has its own history and purpose; one anniversary should not displace the other.

The 14 October 2023 referendum concerned the proposed constitutional Voice. It did not pass, and the constitutional body was not established. That result does not change the historical date of the Statement or mean that the referendum was a vote on every proposal for agreement-making and truth-telling.

Reflecting on the date

Read the Statement in full and use the Dialogues material to learn about its development. Distinguish the original document, later explanations and campaign material so that each is understood in its historical setting.

People hold different views and may experience discussion of the referendum and recognition differently. Offer choice, listen carefully and avoid asking Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander participants to explain or defend a single position on behalf of everyone. Useful reflection can focus on how institutions listen, how decisions are made and how historical understanding informs relationships today.

Sources and further reading

The resources below provide historical records, community or institutional perspectives, and further learning. Linked material may include historical language, names or images of people who have died.

View the Statement. Uluru Statement from the Heart. The original Statement and an introduction to its calls.
View the Statement

The Dialogues. Uluru Statement from the Heart. Background to the First Nations deliberative process.
The Dialogues

Statement for our people and country. Uluru Statement from the Heart, 2023. A later reflection which explicitly identifies the signing date as 26 May 2017.
Statement for our people and country

Uluru Statement from the Heart document record. Parliament of Australia. A separate catalogue record dated 26 May 2017.
Uluru Statement from the Heart document record

2023 federal referendum. Australian Electoral Commission. Official referendum records and results to read separately from the 2017 Statement.
2023 federal referendum

Related learning and resources

Use the reading links above as a starting point for further learning. Any future products or learning resources linked to this anniversary will be selected for their relevance and the quality of their information.