keynote sessions by
rhys paddick
Our Story of Reconciliation
Have you recently encountered the concept of 'reconciliation' and found yourself curious about its true meaning? Or perhaps you're familiar with the term but unsure of its practical implications?
In Rhys's keynote, "Our story of reconciliation," he moves beyond the political rhetoric surrounding this word. Drawing from his lived experience as an Aboriginal Australian, Rhys encourages us to envision a society where Aboriginal culture is seamlessly integrated into our everyday lives.
Through this keynote, you will gain a deeper understanding of:
The true definition of 'reconciliation'
Tokenistic actions and how to avoid them
Authentic actions and how to embrace them
As Rhys eloquently states:
"We should not build a culture of reconciliation, all this does is keep us in a perpetual state of division. Rather, we should strive to arrive at the point where we simply don't have to talk about it anymore.”
Now More Than Ever
Rhys's keynote, "Now more than ever," provides a compelling exploration of Australia's history and the current state of Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations. He discusses the impact of fear culture and encourages us to embrace courage as we work towards bottom-up change. Rhys highlights the valuable contributions of Aboriginal culture to Australia and offers practical guidance on how to recognize and engage with these contributions.
Key areas explored in this keynote include:
The historical context of modern and traditional Australian cultures
A generational exploration of relationships and how they shape contemporary culture
Fear culture and how to overcome it with courage
Bottom-up change and how to consider your own role in it
We rarely consider the present moment. We think of culture as 'then', or 'over there'. Culture is what we participate in - or in other words, you are never stuck in traffic. You are the traffic.
About Rhys Paddick
Yamatji, Budimia, Noongar Australian
Founder and Director, Acknowledge This!
Rhys is an expert in cultural desensitivity, how to explore and connect with Aboriginal peoples and cultures with courage, excitement and joy - as opposed to facilitating cultural change from the all too common place of shame, guilt and fear. Rhys specialises in moving people and businesses out of ticking boxes into a place of authenticity. A storyteller and artist, Rhys takes from his 15+ years of working with and for Aboriginal people and organisations, and has designed and delivered multiple workshops, trainings and keynotes all in an effort to connect fellow Australians to our common cultures.