Next: 26 May 2027
National Sorry Day
A day to remember the Stolen Generations, with gatherings and healing ceremonies across Australia.
When is National Sorry Day in 2027?
National Sorry Day 2027 is on Wednesday, 26 May 2027. Other years: 2026, Tuesday, 26 May 2026; 2028, Friday, 26 May 2028.
About National Sorry Day
National Sorry Day, on 26 May, remembers the children of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who were forcibly removed from their families under government policies, many of them from the late nineteenth century until the 1970s, and are known as the Stolen Generations. The day was first held in 1998, the year after the Bringing Them Home report was published. Communities, schools and organisations hold gatherings, smoking ceremonies, speeches, and moments of reflection, and those taking part may place symbolic items, such as hand prints on a mural or a bouquet of flowers. In 2008, the Prime Minister of Australia delivered a national apology in Parliament. The day leads into National Reconciliation Week.
National Sorry Day dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | National Sorry Day date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, 26 May 2026 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, 26 May 2027 |
| 2028 | Friday, 26 May 2028 |
What is eaten
- shared morning tea
Traditions of National Sorry Day
Also part of it, and being written: Stolen Generations (The people remembered.), Bringing Them Home (The 1997 report.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "National Sorry Day" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Smoking ceremony: Shillings1005, CC BY-SA 4.0, source