National Day for Truth and Reconciliation events culminate with Sacred Fire – Queen’s University

October 4, 2024

Sept. 30 was established as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to recognize the history and impact of the residential school system on Indigenous Peoples and communities.

A large crowd of campus community members, mostly in orange t-shirts, gathered on Agnes Benidickson Field Monday afternoon for a sacred fire, listening closely to speeches commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Observed every year on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is dedicated to reflecting on the history of Canada’s residential school system, which operated from 1831 to 1996. It is a time to acknowledge the harmful impacts residential schools continue to have on Indigenous Peoples and communities, and to remember its victims and survivors.

Mika Henry, Associate Director of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, urged attendees, particularly non-Indigenous, to reflect critically on their role in reconciliation.

Read More: https://www.queensu.ca/gazette/stories/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation-events-culminate-sacred-fire