Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education is on September 30

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) in collaboration with the Orange Shirt Day Society, today announced that it is on track to hold its largest-ever Reconciliation event, Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education, with more than 350,000 students and teachers registered for the September 30 event. The ongoing pandemic required organizers to move its annual Orange Shirt Day event online, which has opened up this unprecedented opportunity to now reach classrooms from coast to coast to coast.

Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education has been designed with grades 5 to 12 in mind but equally impactful for adult learners. The program will feature two 45 minute acts, with the first on Truth, and the second on Reconciliation.

• Residential school Survivors, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers
• First Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders
• Performances from Indigenous musicians and dancers
• A wide range of special features

“We have put together an impactful and meaningful program featuring residential school Survivors, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, artists and leaders from nations and cultures across the country,” said Ry Moran, director of the NCTR. “First Nations, Inuit and Metis storytelling comes together in a program that will engage young people in a conversation about  our country’s history and the path of Truth and Reconciliation that lay ahead.”

“When I see people wearing an orange shirt or an Every Child Matters pin, for us Survivors, it’s like a little bit of justice in our lifetime for what happened to us,” said Phyllis Webstad, founder of the Orange Shirt Day Society.

To support teachers in bringing this important conversation into the classroom, the NCTR has made available a series of educational resources on its website. These resources have been provided by several contributing partner organizations including Canada’s History, Historica Canada, First Nations Caring Society, Secret Path, the Government of Manitoba and Wapikoni Mobile.

Educators can sign up for the September 30 event and receive important updates by registering online here.

The program on Orange Shirt Day (September 30) coincides with an anticipated future national Day of Truth and Reconciliation, which is seen to be an opportunity for all Canadians to honour Residential School Survivors and recommit to the journey of Truth and Reconciliation on an annual basis.

“This is an unprecedented event in unprecedented times. As the school year is just beginning, we are seeing sometimes thousands of names being added to the registration list every day,” said Moran. “There’s no better way to learn about Truth and Reconciliation than witnessing the series of performers and speakers that will be taking part in this important event.”

This program is presented by RBC and made possible with the generous support of Canadian Heritage. Other funders and supporters include the NIB Trust Fund, the National Film Board, Wawanesa Insurance, The Winnipeg Foundation, the Government of Manitoba, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Nova Scotia, APTN, CBC and Facebook.

The Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education broadcast will be available for all Canadians on Facebook, Youtube, and at: education.nctr.ca