All five Kwantlen Polytechnic University campuses will be lit in orange this week for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, on Friday, Sept. 30.
It’s part of KPU’s efforts to demonstrate the university’s commitment to reconciliation and honour Indigenous Peoples.
“It 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,” stated Dr. Alan Davis, president of KPU.
“Lighting our campuses orange is a display of solidarity with Indigenous communities, and allows us to reflect on what truth and reconciliation means.”
Orange lights began reflecting on buildings at KPU campuses Monday (Sept. 26), and will continue through the week each evening after sundown.
Surrey is home to three of the campuses, including KPU Surrey in Newton, KPU Tech in Cloverdale and KPU Civic Plaza in the downtown area. Other KPU campuses are located in Langley and Richmond.
Sept. 30 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 “Every Child Matters.”
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.
Stated Davis: “We 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’s residential school legacy, and to consider what each of us can do to foster reconciliation.”
External events for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation & Orange Shirt Day, as posted to KPU’s website:
Note: Times are given in Pacific Time.
Indspiring Change @ Home with Duncan McCue
September 20 - 4:00 pm – 5 pm
Educating future leaders about truth and reconciliation in Canada
September 27 - 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
We Were Children (2012) Film Screening
September 27 - 4:00 – 6:00 pm
We Were Children - Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (ubc.ca)
A Calls to Action Conversation on Truth and Reconciliation
September 29 - 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Walking Forward Together: Day of Learning
September 29 - 8:50 am – 2:30 pm
Orange Shirt Day with Deborah Johnson from the Orange Shirt Society
September 29 - 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Orange Shirt Day | UBC Sauder School of Business
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation - Port Moody Station Museum
September 30 - 10:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Cedar Harvesting with Elder Jeff Welch and Katłįà Lafferty
September 30 - 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Orange Shirt Day @ Templeton Pool Welcome Garden
September 30 - 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Intergenerational March to commemorate Orange Shirt Day (UBC)
September 30 - 11:00 am - 2:30pm
Intergenerational March to commemorate Orange Shirt Day - Event | UBC Applied Science
Orange Shirt Day
September 30 - 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: VAFC & Grandview Park
Britannia Community Services Centre Orange Shirt Day | (britanniacentre.org)
On Truth and Reconciliation with James Harry
September 30 - 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
On Truth and Reconciliation with James Harry - Vancouver’s North Shore (vancouversnorthshore.com)
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram and follow Tom on Twitter