Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, September 30

Each year on September 30, people across Canada wear orange and participate in Orange Shirt Day events to recognize and raise awareness about the history and legacies of the residential school system in Canada. 

This year, September 30 will also mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools. As President Ono stated in the August 18 broadcast, all members of the UBC community are encouraged to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, whether through personal reflection, education and awareness activities or by participating in events within your communities. 

To help each of us advance our understanding of residential school history, consider exploring or participating in the following: 

• Tour the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre website, which provides access to various educational materials, including a page focused on raising awareness about Orange Shirt Day. 
   

• Immerse yourself in a new website from the team at the Office of Indigenous Strategic Initiatives featuring several new items, including impact stories, implementation updates, and funding opportunities. 

• Complete Respect, Sincerity & Responsibility: Land Acknowledgements at UBC, a sixty-minute self-paced course exploring what land acknowledgements are, their importance and addressing barriers in making an acknowledgement.

• Read the UBC Beyond story 6 ways to deepen your understanding of Indian residential school history.

Attend an upcoming event:

• Tuesday, Sept. 21: "Picking up the Pieces: The Making of the Witness Blanket" Film Screening and conversation with Kwagiulth master carver Carey Newman and his sisters Marion and Ellen
• Tuesday, Sept. 21: Welcoming Students Back to Campus: Supporting Classroom Climate with UBC Indigenous Resources
• Monday, Sept. 27: "Returning Home and Pathways to Reconciliation" Film screening and conversation with Orange Shirt Day originator Phyllis Webstad
• Tuesday, Sept. 28: Join the Faculty of Medicine: Truth Telling: A first step toward reconciliation
• Wednesday, Sept. 29: The 94 TRC Calls to Action: A Participatory Reading - Joint STEM faculty event
• Thursday, Sept. 30: Intergenerational March for Orange Shirt Day - Joint STEM faculty event