Photo credit: Canada Holidays
Monday is a holiday in Canada.
Like every other September 30, it is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
The federal statutory holiday was created through legislative amendments made by Parliament.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of residential schools’ individual, family, and community intergenerational impacts and promote the concept of “Every Child Matters.” The orange shirt is a symbol; of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
Public activities and gatherings will be organized across the country to commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools.
To commemorate the Day and to honour the Survivors, their families, and communities, the Peace Tower and the Senate Building will be illuminated in orange throughout the evening of September 30.
APTN and the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation present Remembering The Children: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a 90-minute commemorative gathering. The multilingual event will be broadcast live from Parliament Hill, starting at 3 pm (ET) on APTN and APTN Language.
The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation offers a free virtual program from September 23-27, 2024, to all schools across Canada. This is a transformative journey for students, educators, and the broader community to engage with the history and enduring spirit of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Peoples. Programming is available in English, French and ASL.
Source: Government of Canada
