National Sorry Day, held each year on May 26, is a day for Australians to reflect on historical policies and practices that led to the forcible removal of children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. The children were separated from their families by government workers or church missions and placed in training or reformatory schools, in mission schools, or with non-Indigenous foster families. These children are often referred to as the Stolen Generations. 
In the 1990’s, the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission conducted a study of the laws, policies, and practices surrounding the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. Their findings were issued in a report called “Bringing Them Home,” which was presented to the Australian Parliament on May 26, 1997. The report confirmed that the separation of Indigenous children from their families began shortly after European colonization, but was carried out mostly from the mid-1800’s into the 1970’s. The report found that almost all Indigenous families were affected by these removal policies, which often had devastating consequences. 
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Kevin Rudd delivers apology to Indigenous Australians
The report recommended the establishment of National Sorry Day as a way of remembering the past policies and their impacts. The first Sorry Day was held on May 26, 1998, exactly one year after the presentation of the report. The report also recommended that each Australian Parliament issue a formal apology to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for the past policies. On Feb. 13, 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally acknowledged the federal government’s role in such policies and apologized to the Stolen Generations and their families and communities. Saying “sorry” is considered an important step in the process of reconciliation (restoring harmony) in Australia. National Sorry Day is the day before the start of National Reconciliation Week.
