Every year on September 30th, we acknowledge National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. This is a day to honor the children who never returned home, survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
Let’s Take a moment to pause to remember and honor the Indigenous peoples of our land. Today is a solemn reminder of the painful history and trauma that many have endured and a call for collective reflection and action.
As we acknowledge this day,let us commit to listening, learning, and incorporating the Calls to Action into our daily lives. Through education and understanding, we can contribute to the healing process and work towards a more just and inclusive society.
Let’s take this opportunity to deepen our knowledge about Indigenous cultures, histories, and challenges. By engaging in meaningful conversations, promoting empathy, and supporting initiatives that promote reconciliation, we can make a difference in our communities.
We encourage you to do some reflection today of your own thinkings, biases, learnings and practices. How can you support reconciliation?
There are many events happening today in the community that you can attend in support of truth and reconciliation. We encourage you to do so in honour of the children who never came home, and their families.
The Douglas Students’ Union is located on the stolen lands of the coast salish peoples of the q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie), qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓ (Kwantlen), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), and qiqéyt (Qayqayt) First Nations. This acknowledgment is to show solidarity to Indigenous Peoples who continue to face systemic racism and abuse in Canada.
Indigenous Peoples are the traditional guardians of this stolen land, and acknowledging this is a crucial step towards reconciliation.