Ceremony for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
As part of the upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR), which will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, the National Defence, and the Canadian Armed Forces will host a commemorative ceremony on September 29, 2023, at 10 a.m. (EDT). The event, which will take place at the Tipi Site near Building 10E at the National Defence Headquarters (Carling campus), will last approximately one hour.
This ceremony aims to honor the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. It also serves as an opportunity to share Indigenous traditions as a step towards reconciliation.
Among the highlighted Indigenous elements, there will be a smudging ceremony, tobacco offerings, a capella poetry recitals and singing, as well as the unveiling of a residential school survivors' art piece centered on Truth and Reconciliation. This ceremony will also include speeches, an explanation of the significance of the NDTR, and a moment of silence.
All members of the Defence Team are invited to join the ceremony, which will be hosted by the Commander of the Canadian Forces Support Group in collaboration with Missy Knott, an Indigenous singer-songwriter. For those who are unable to join in person, a livestream will be held via Teams and can be accessed here.
About NDTR
Inaugurated in 2021, the NDTR is a formal day of public commemoration during which Canadians are invited to reflect on and recognize the tragic and painful ongoing impact of residential schools, which remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. The NDTR originated from and expanded on Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led initiative that raises awareness of the inter-generational impacts of residential schools and the concept of "Every Child Matters."
Residential schools were part of colonial assimilationist policies that removed Indigenous children from their communities and families. This day provides an opportunity for Canadians to better understand the lasting negative impacts that residential schools have had on generations of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples while also making efforts towards reconciliation.
Members of the Defence community are encouraged to participate in activities related to this day, reflect, and learn more about Orange Shirt Day and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action.