Peterborough residents are being encouraged to pause, reflect and learn Wednesday as the community marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Also recognized as Orange Shirt Day, September 30 honours residential school Survivors, their families and communities, while recognizing the history and ongoing legacy of Canada’s residential school system.
The Urban Indigenous Working Group will host a day of reflection and education at the Healthy Planet Arena on Monaghan Road from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The event will feature Indigenous drumming, ceremony and opportunities to learn from Elders, Knowledge Carriers, community leaders and organizations.
Community groups will also offer interactive displays, activities and teachings focused on reconciliation, relationship building and greater understanding.
Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal is encouraging residents to attend and listen to Indigenous voices in the community.
“Reconciliation is an ongoing responsibility that belongs to all of us,” Leal said, adding the city remains committed to strengthening relationships with First Nations and Urban Indigenous communities in the region.
City Indigenous Relations Advisor Shelley Knott said the day is an opportunity to continue learning and listening while creating space for Indigenous knowledge and perspectives.
The city says its broader reconciliation efforts include a traditional medicine garden at Inverlea Park, a new land acknowledgement developed through consultation with Indigenous community members and annual recognition of Red Dress Day.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation became a federal statutory holiday in 2021 following Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
