September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots movement to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the Survivors and their families and to reinforce the knowledge that Every Child Matters.
“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.”
Cited from “The Story of Orange Shirt Day” by Orange Shirt Society
Click here for more information about Orange Shirt Day
