Women in Conversation Breakfast
On Friday the 28th of February, Brigitte Godfred-Spenning, Anais Bachelet and I were lucky enough to attend the annual Women in Conservation Breakfast at the Sofitel Grand Ballroom. Hosted by Rachel Lowry and Corinne Proske (the latter being a parent at AHS who generously invited us), the convention was both a celebration of the women pioneering sustainable practices as well as a way to raise awareness of the importance of Indigenous wisdom in protecting our planet.
From left to right: Anais, Sophia, Ms Proske, Brigitte
The luxurious space was filled with energy from start to finish, from loud cheering in celebration of the amazing women pioneering this cause, to the chatter in between the speeches for people to network.
During one of these breaks, we managed to talk to Travis Lovett, the Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the first formal truth telling process into historical and ongoing injustices experienced by First Peoples in Victoria. We learnt how incredibly relevant and important “embracing the wisdom of Indigenous knowledge” is, to quote Teagan Shields, the keynote speaker from the convention.
From left to right: Travis, Anais, Sophia, Ash Bartley (from Trust for Nature)
One of the facts that stuck with me most was that it took 34 years to stop people from climbing Uluru from when the indigenous Anangu peoples first asked. It’s interesting to note that from a young age, Australian children learn about the horrors that were inflicted on the Indigenous peoples of Australia, but less the injustice that still pervades Australian laws and rules.
However, it was reassuring to hear of the incredible work organisations like Trust for Nature and Bush Heritage Australia, buying land to protect it from being logged, as well as another 1700 private land holders forming conservation covenants to help us create sustainable futures here in Australia.
Teagan Shields, keynote speaker
Kindest,
Sophia
Year 12 Student Leader