Calgary,
27
September
2022
|
12:32
America/Denver

The City honours Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)

September 30 is being honoured as Orange Shirt Day in the City of Calgary, and the Indigenous Relations Office is marking the day by hosting a public ceremony  including a moment of silence at Fort Calgary. The City will be livestreaming the special event on calgary.ca/live beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday.  

Orange Shirt Day started in 2013 as a way to honour and remember the 150,000 Indigenous children forced to go to residential schools, and the thousands of children who never made it home. The Indigenous Relations Office is taking this opportunity to educate school children, youth and citizens about the impacts of residential schools on Indigenous communities, as told by  Elders. 

“This is the third year the City of Calgary has recognized Orange Shirt Day and is an important step on the path to reconciliation. This ceremony is an opportunity for the truth to be shared, listened to and learned from,” says Harold Horsefall, Issues Strategist with the Indigenous Relations Office.  

The ceremony will begin with the Calgary Fire Department raising an orange banner at 10 a.m. , remarks and a moment of silence at approximately 10:20 a.m. to remember the more than 150,000 Indigenous children forced into residential schools, and the thousands of children who died at these schools.  

Morning events include inter-tribal dances, Metis jigging demonstration, fiddlers, a hoop-dance exhibition, messages from Elders, the Mayor and more. The event will conclude with a free burger lunch for attendees. Everyone attending is strongly encouraged to wear orange.  

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