Orange Shirt Day is September 30th. Plan now to wear an orange shirt next Wednesday, in recognition of the terrible history and ongoing legacy of Residential Schools in Canada. Listen, read, watch, discuss and learn about the impact of Residential Schools on Indigenous Peoples and on all of Canadian society. Encourage all Canadians to join together in the attempt to follow a path of Reconciliation.
From the official Orange Shirt Day website:
The annual Orange Shirt Day on September 30th opens the door to global conversation on all aspects of Residential Schools. It is an opportunity to create meaningful discussion about the effects of Residential Schools and the legacy they have left behind. A discussion all Canadians can tune into and create bridges with each other for reconciliation. A day for survivors to be reaffirmed that they matter, and so do those that have been affected. Every Child Matters, even if they are an adult, from now on.
The date was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the coming school year. It is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
Find out more about Orange Shirt Day:
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library 