Rork Projects is honoured to be able to support other organisations and institutions with their key Indigenous events and activities as well as actions nominated in their Reconciliation Action Plan.
Last week, our Co-Owner John Paul Janke worked with the Australian National University in Canberra on a few key events to discuss important issues Indigenous communities are facing across Australia.
JP moderated discussions with Indigenous Elders from across the country as part of an ANU Elders Forum. The gathering looked at how the ANU can help their communities address pressing issues and explored how the ANU’s technical skill and knowledge base can be utilised in Indigenous communities in areas like Mapping, Education, Renewable Energy, Biodiversity and Environment, Water, and Business Planning for Economic Development
Later in the week, he facilitated sessions at the two-day ANU Treaty Forum – a special forum to discuss issues surrounding Treaty for Australia’s First Nations people. Speakers included Brian P. Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor, The Australian National University), Mick Dodson (Treaty Commissioner, Northern Territory), Mark McMillan (Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Education and Engagement, RMIT), Kirsty Gover (Program Director, Indigenous Peoples in International and Comparative Law, The University of Melbourne), Michael Mansell (Chairperson, Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania), Hayley McQuire (Coordinator and Co-Founder, National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition), Tony McAvoy (Native Title Barrister, Senior Council) and The Hon. Robert French (Chancellor, University of Western Australia).
On Friday evening, JP joined iconic singer songwriter Archie Roach for an ‘In Conversation’ at the ANU School of Music in Canberra in front of 800 guests unpacking his new book and album Tell Me Why.
“It was a privilege to be involved,” JP said.
“Rork Projects is proud to be able to help the ANU with is vision for reconciliation and being a place that facilitates learning that respects cultures and diversity and people come together to engage with their chosen discipline, contextualised by an understanding of our shared history.” he added.