Each year, September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The day 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.
This federal statutory holiday was created through legislative amendments made by Parliament.
To visit the official website for the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation, please visit: https://nctr.ca/
Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30th.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to 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.
On September 30th, all Canadians are encouraged to wear orange to honour the thousands of Survivors of residential schools. (Government of Canada.)
To read more on the history of Orange Shirt Day, please visit: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/.
For more information and history on the residential school system and its lasting impacts and Canada's pledge to Truth and Reconciliation, please visit our reading recommendations and list of resources below.
