Does it really? It seems like more of a "I apologized, now hurry up and accept it" kind of gig. A true apology is one where people learn from it.
Yes, you are right. No one can change history. That is not my point. My point is to emphasize that the gesture is meaningless; if people want to actually admit they fucked up, they should actually prove that they learnt from the mistake and do something about current problems. Otherwise, it is just a big hoopla about nothing.