The public has some local opportunities to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, including a discussion on residential schools and reconciliation.

The St蓱l虛蓹w虛 Arts and Culture Society and 91原创 Township have announced A Community Conversation About Residential Schools and Reconciliation, an event taking place Tuesday, Sept. 27 at the Chief Sepass Theatre.

Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Tuesday night鈥檚 event will allow participants to take some time to recognize and reflect on the longstanding effects of the residential school system on Indigenous families and communities. The event goes from 6:30 to 8 p.m., and the theatre is at 9096 Trattle St. in Fort 91原创. There is no admission charge.

The panelists include former school trustee Cecelia Reekie, Kelly Duncan, elder Josette Dandurand, educator Luke Dandurand, and Amber Kalman. The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Lindsay Foreman, curator of Indigenous Arts and Culture with the Township of 91原创. This session will be opened and closed by the q虛史蓱:n虛茮虛蓹n虛 (Kwantlen) drummers and singers.

鈥� 91原创 Senior Resource Society Centre

The seniors centre walking group will gather at the centre, 20605 51B Ave. at 10 a.m. on Friday to start a walk. The public is invited to join in and encouraged to wear orange.

鈥� Lower Fraser Valley Indigenous Society event

The public is also invited to the Derek Doubleday Arboretum Friday evening for a ceremony slated to run from 7 to 9 p.m.

The site has had wood crosses as a memorial. They were put up a months ago, after the news of remains being found at residential schools. Ground-penetrating radar showed remains at the former school in Kamloops and the news was announced in May 2021.

It was the site for last year鈥檚 event for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

鈥� Kwantlen Polytechnic University

All five Kwantlen Polytechnic University campuses will be lit up in orange this week to demonstrate the university鈥檚 commitment to reconciliation and honour Indigenous Peoples ahead of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

鈥淚t is important for us who are uninvited settlers in this land to recognize the profound and unacknowledged loss of life and culture and ways of being as a result of colonization, especially the thousands of lives of the missing residential school children,鈥� said Dr. Alan Davis, president of KPU. 鈥淟ighting our campuses orange is a display of solidarity with Indigenous communities, and allows us to reflect on what truth and reconciliation means.鈥�

Orange lights began reflecting on buildings at KPU campuses Monday in Surrey, Richmond and 91原创, continuing throughout the week each evening after sundown.

Sept. 30, 2022, marks the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honouring the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.

It is also Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led effort that raises awareness of the impacts of residential schools and promotes the concept of 鈥淓very Child Matters.鈥�

KPU will be observing this as a statutory day for remembrance, reflection, action and learning, and campuses will be closed. A list of external events to help students and staff on their path to truth and reconciliation is available on the KPU website.

鈥淲e encourage the KPU community to use this time to reflect on, to commemorate and to acknowledge the tragic and painful history, ongoing impact, and continuing trauma of Canada鈥檚 residential school legacy. And to consider what each of us can do to foster reconciliation,鈥� Davis said.

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The , which offers emotional support and crisis referral services for residential school survivors and their families, can be reached toll-free at 1-866-925-4419.

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