CONNECTING in friendship was in the hearts and minds of the crowd at Town Beach reserve for the Reconciliation Walk to the Hay Street forecourt on Sunday.
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Port Macquarie-Hastings Council mayor Peter Besseling and elder Uncle Bill O'Brien led the walk along the breakwall and about 200 people followed.
Vice chair of the Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council, Wayne Anderson said the crowd was good considering the weather.
Cr Besseling said in his speech reconciliation "is everyone's business".
"By acknowledging our shared past we can begin the journey together to make a genuine and long lasting contribution towards the broader understanding of this history as we strive towards achieving healing and reconciliation in the wider community."
"It's [the Reconciliation Walk] important because it acknowledges that we connect with each other," Mr Anderson said.
"Today's about acknowledging differences and respecting differences but also saying, even though there are differences, we're actually going to connect, it's about that respect. "Reconciliation acknowledges we don't all have to be the same."
Comments from walkers:
"The walk is important to me for reconciliation for our mob, that we're joined together as one, and get people to understand that we're not separate, we're one people." Debbie Dunn
"Reconciliation is important and a day like today, an event like today is important so that people can come together and recognise the value of diverse cultures of Indigenous people and local people here in the region." Helen Jones
"It's important to me because Australia can't go forward into the 21st century unless we acknowledge Aborigines as equal and give them equal opportunity." Drusi Megget