As our nation moves towards a historic referendum on Indigenous Constitutional Recognition and a Voice to Parliament, we at the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education are stepping up our efforts to provide resources and encourage engagement in the process of building support for a Yes Vote. We have produced a Resource Kit with information and links to significant websites.

By Phil Glendenning

When Edmund Rice opened the North Richmond Street School in Dublin, Irish independence leader Daniel O'Connell laid the foundation stone watched by some hundred thousand people. It was an amazing crowd given that Dublin's entire population in 1828 was only a few hundred thousand. Clearly, Edmund was engaged in the world. His was not a cloistered faith. He saw the unjust Penal Laws of Ireland and their impact on the poor.

The Edmund Rice Centre welcomes the passing of the legislation bill allowing for the Referendum on recognition and a Voice to Parliament for our First Nations later this year. The Edmund Rice Centre remains committed to the full implementation of The Uluru Statement from the Heart, including voice, treaty, and truth-telling.

As the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education we are not oblivious to the cries of refugees and people seeking asylum. Our work is shaped by presence, compassion, and liberation – all tenets of the Edmund Rice tradition.

We've been busy educating ourselves in preparation for the upcoming referendum. This handbook written by Thomas Mayo and Kerry O'Brien is a fantastic resource that's been helping us understand the importance of a First Nations' Voice to Parliament. It teaches us about the implications of the Referendum and the positive impact this will have on our country! Find a copy of the handbook in bookstores across the country, or order it online.