National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day 2022

From: Shannon Simpson, Director, Office of Indigenous Initiatives
Date: September 23, 2022
Re: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day 2022

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day 2022

Please join us in commemorating National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on September 30th, across our three campuses by visiting Indigenous U of T for a list of upcoming events for students, staff, faculty and librarians. 

We encourage everyone to use compassion and to be flexible with expectations for Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and librarians, during this time.  

Orange Shirt Day 2022

Honour the experiences of residential school survivors, the children who tragically never came home, and their communities by joining the University-wide event to recognize the importance of reflection on Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students, librarians, faculty, and staff may register to attend this event in-person or watch the livestream. 

The University of Toronto (U of T) will commemorate this day of recognition with remarks from Kelly Hannah-Moffat, Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture, and Alexandra Gillespie, Vice-President & Principal, University of Toronto Mississauga, in The Great Hall at Hart House. Andrew Wesley, former Elder-in-Residence at First Nations House, and member of U of T’s Elders Circle, will provide the keynote address: “Twelve Steps to Spiritual Renewal, Healing, and Forgiveness: Reflections on my Residential School Experience.” 

Attend in Person: 

You can register to attend in person here. 

Please note: Registration does not guarantee admittance. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Overflow seating is available in the Music Room at Hart House. 

Watch Online: 

The event will also be livestreamed, and can be viewed via this link. 

For more information please visit: https://indigenous.utoronto.ca/event/orange-shirt-day-2022/ 

U of T Indigenous Community Gathering

Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and librarians are invited to the U of T Indigenous Community Gathering on October 3rd at the Hart House Farm. This will be an opportunity to share space with each other and to prioritize community care following the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.  

This event is organized and supported by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Hart House, the Faculty of Arts & Science, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Woodsworth College, UTM Indigenous Centre and First Nations House. 

For more information, please see the event poster. 

You can register for the U of T Indigenous Community Gathering here.

Other Ways to Participate 

U of T’s staff and faculty are encouraged to participate in National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day events and to learn more through the training offered by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Participants will gain a greater understanding of the land they are on, learn about Indigenous communities through historical and contemporary lenses and build skills to be a better ally. Training for staff and faculty can be found through the Learning and Leadership Centre and students can access the same training through the Career Learning Network. 

Wear an Orange Shirt Day Shirt: 

To recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at U of T, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives has partnered with the UofT Bookstore on a limited supply of orange shirts that are available for purchase  at all 3 campus bookstores. Featuring official artwork by Geraldine Catalbas, all proceeds from the sale of these shirts will be directed to the Orange Shirt Society and the Seniors Program at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT). No proceeds will be collected by the University or the Bookstore. 

For more information, please click here.  

Participate virtually: 

We also invite and encourage all U of T community members to use the Orange Shirt Day icon as their profile photo and use the virtual backdrop (available for download below) on Teams or Zoom calls the week of September 26. 

Download assets 

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