I hope you had a great time today celebrating life on two wheels!
It’s incredible to think this is only the second year this commemorative day has been recognised internationally.
For last year’s first official World Bicycle Day, BCC looked at what this day means to the UN. We also checked out some of the awesome WBD events happening glocally (globally/locally) in Adelaide (AU), India and Denmark.
This year, in my hometown of Brisbane, World Bicycle Day coincided with another important event, the biennial Mabo Oration*.
After a lovely day on bikes, husband and I headed into QPAC with 800 others to hear the Oration. This year the guest speaker was Luke Pearson from IndigenousX.
It was a very interesting talk. Luke raised many important issues as well as sharing his thoughts on activism, racism, leaving a legacy, truth-telling, being a father, next steps and self-determinacy – and this discussion has continued in the media.
This public speech comes at a perfect time given the traction that A/P Chelsea Bond’s recent contribution to the La Trobe racism discussion created.
(If you are not sure what I am talking about – prepare to have your mind blown).
The traction I’m referring to started with a speech given by Associate Professor Chelsea Bond, who was one of four speakers for a LaTrobe University panel discussion on the topic of:
Has racism in contemporary Australia entered the political mainstream?
If you have not seen it, you need to.
Why?
Because A/P Bond delivered the most powerful, intelligent, inspiring, uncompromising, kick-ass speech on racism in Australia heard in a very long time!
Make up your own mind.
Below is the full video. A/P Chelsea Bond is the last speaker, so go direct to: 1:01:05 and watch until 1:14:11.
There is no doubt that A/P Bond delivered a masterclass in Indigenous excellence!
Her speech hit so many high points on so many levels.
I’ve been walking around for days inspired by Nat Cromb and Luke Pearson’s overview of her speech saying things like Bam! Kapow! Boom! Pow!
Most impactful for me was how she powerfully called out those who fail to have truthful and confronting conversations.
This is what has stayed with me the most – and something that requires ongoing consideration – and action.
In her speech, A/P Bond said ‘In my being, I refuse to bear false witness to these lies.’ Such statements
So, imagine our delight when, on World Bicycle Day at the Mabo Oration, husband and I ran into A/P Chelsea Bond!
OMG!
Shameless academic fanning ensued.
The oration had just concluded and we were all leaving the auditorium when we passed her. Husband spotted her and I took the initative to introduce ourselves and have a chat.
A/P Bond was very accommodating. She was happy to have a good chat and take a photo. We told her how significant her speech had been for us and we talked about how different people have responded to it.
We can home – elated, thrilled, humbled and exhausted.
It had been a day full of culture, challenges, activism and insights.
Without a doubt, World Bicycle Day 2019 has been the most rewarding and motivating.
I hope you had an equally thought-provoking and stimulating day!
*The Mabo Oration is a biennial event organised by the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland and QPAC. It is the Commission’s public commitment to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Queensland. It celebrates and pays tribute to Eddie Mabo and the landmark High Court decision which legally recognised that Indigenous people had a special relationship to the land that existed prior to colonisation. The first Mabo Oration was on 3 June 2005 and this year, the guest speaker was Noel Pearson.