UNCEDED ALGONQUIN TERRITORY, OTTAWA — Today marks the beginning of Truth and Reconciliation Week 2023, our annual program which focuses on learning and commemorating  Indigenous history, culture, language and the ongoing legacy of residential schools from Survivors, Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Throughout the week we will be providing daily programming with age-appropriate materials for students in grades 1 through 12, pre-recorded videos and daily live Q & A sessions in English and French. We will also be offering free daily virtual Lunch & Learns to all members of the general public throughout the week which will provide an immersive experience to unlearn the myths of colonial history in Canada.

On Thursday, September 28, Truth and Reconciliation Week will feature a special live in-person and virtual event, “Gidinawendimin – We Are All Related” from the nation’s capital, Ottawa which will bring 5,000 students together to hear from Survivors and Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous performers who share their cultures, languages, histories and experiences. 

The week will culminate on September 30, Truth and Reconciliation Day and Orange Shirt Day, with Remembering the Children, a commemoration held on Parliament Hill to memorialize the children lost to the residential school system and honour Survivors and their families — the NCTR, APTN and other broadcast partners will host a live national broadcast of the event beginning at 1 PM EDT. 

We invite educators to participate in the educational programming available to their classrooms, and all others to join our Lunch & Learns available throughout the duration of Truth and Reconciliation week and on Parliament Hill, in-person or by tuning in, as we remember the children who never came home. By participating, Canadians are acknowledging the role and responsibility that we all share in supporting reconciliation for Survivors, their families and communities. 

Truth and Reconciliation Week 2023

Programming from Truth and Reconciliation Week is available for the general public on the NCTR website. 

Truth and Reconciliation Week is hosted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), with the generous support of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), the Government of Canada, Telus, ARC’TERYX, META, Hubilo, CUPE, Air Canada, the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, CN, and the Northwest Company.

About the NCTR

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba was created to preserve the memory of Canada’s Residential School system and legacy, not just for a few years, but forever. It is the responsibility of the NCTR to steward and share the truths of Survivors’ experiences in a respectful way and to work with Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, researchers, communities, decision-makers and the general public to support the ongoing work of truth, reconciliation and healing across Canada and beyond. 

For more information or to schedule interviews:media@emdashagency.ca