Orange Shirt Day and Every Child Matters Ceremony

Orange Shirt Day & Every Child Matters Ceremony 

"Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation"

September 30, 2022 7:00PM

The Town of Shelburne’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee invites you to attend the Orange Shirt Day & Every Child Matters Ceremony "Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation".

Date:                Friday, September 30, 2022
Time:               7 pm
Location:        Jack Downing Park, 140 Main Street

See the Orange Shirt & Every Child Matters Ceremony Brochure and Poster.

Information on Orange Shirt Day 

Both the Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation take place on September 30.

Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day that honours the children who survived residential schools and remembers those who did not. Orange Shirt Day raises awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and promotes 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. 

This day relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwepemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, on her first day of school, where she arrived dressed in a new orange shirt, which was taken from her.

To watch the message from Phyllis Webstad www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3vUqr01kAk

Program Activities Include 

• Opening Ceremony
• Flag Raising of Every Child Matters Flag
• Lighting of Town Hall in Orange
• Blessing of the Every Child Matters Crosswalk
• Candle Light Reflection Walk - 1.8 KM
• Indigenous Art Exhibit at Town Hall
  

Times:

8:30 AM - 4:30PM
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Every Child Matters Crosswalk

The crosswalk will feature seven feathers representing the seven guiding principles adopted by many Indigenous communities and organizations, which are: Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Humility, Truth and Wisdom.

Walking Route

We encourage everyone attending to wear an Orange Shirt.

Shelburne DEI Committee

The Town of Shelburne has established a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.The committee’s mandate is to advise Council and continue the work of the Anti-Black Racism, Racism and Discrimination Task Force.

The committee will make recommendations and provide a monitoring and measuring role to help ensure that the Town of Shelburne applies a diversity, equity and inclusion lens to its policies, services, and programs.

For more information visit: www.shelburne.ca/DEI/ 

Dufferin County 2022 Orange Shirt Day & Every Child Matters Ceremonies and Walks

• Dufferin County Memorial Walk for Residential Schools - Orange Shirt
  This event is hosted by the Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle in partnership with the Dufferin County Multicultural Foundation
  October 1st, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Meet at the main door of the Alder Street Recreation Centre, located at 275 Alder Street, Orangeville, ON L9W 5H6.
  • Walking quietly, sending prayers and love to the children recovered and yet to be recovered, their families & communities
  • Praying for those recovering survivors or intergenerational family traumas from the schools
  • Sharing the importance of the Orange Shirt
  • Smudging ceremony

Additional Resources

• CCDI commemoration guide: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation / Orange Shirt Day
• CCDI educational guide: Indigenous inclusion
• CCDI educational guide: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation / Orange Shirt Day
• Indigenous Works: Tip sheet for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation 
• Residential School Survivor Stories

• Films relating to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirits (content warning)

• Read Phyllis Webstad's Story in Her Own Words
• Watch the Story of Chanie Wenjack
• Remember Me – An Annual Day of Remembrance (Content warning)
• The National Student Memorial Register Names of the Children who were known to have died at Residential School (Content warning)
• Did You Live Near a Residential School?
• A Timeline of Residential Schools in Canada
• Indigenous History and Treaty Lands in Dufferin County
• Talk4Healing - A Culturally Grounded Helpline for Indigenous women
• Hope for Wellness Help Line for Indigenous Peoples