Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30. The day honours the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. We encourage all Canadians to wear an Orange Shirt on September 30th.
To learn more read CFUW Special Edition Newsletter which provides more on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Orange shirt Day, and many useful links for further learning toward our understanding about reconciliation and our journey toward allyship. It also shows links to our CFUW policies that support Indigenous matters.