Innisfil ideaLab & Library hosts National Truth and Reconciliation Day activities

A window display at the Innisfil ideaLab to honour Truth and Reconciliation. Fri., Sept. 20, 2024 (Source: Innisfil ideaLab)

It's time to pull your orange shirt out of the closet and wear it to the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library.

Beginning September 25, the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library invites people to participate in a series of activities to recognize the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day.

September 30 honours the survivors of Canada's residential school system, as well as the children who never made it home.

"Our library is committed to supporting the community in reflecting on the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation," said Anne Smith, the library board chairperson.

"Together, we acknowledge the importance of educating ourselves about the history and lasting impact of the residential school system in Canada. This is a history that has shaped the lives of countless Indigenous peoples and continues to affect generations."

This year, Innisfil's Library is hosting a variety of events and programs fostering understanding, dialogue, and healing.

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Key Events and Activities:

Why Truth & Reconciliation is becoming a global story

Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux will speak to the work we have done in Canada towards reconciliation and how that is influencing global Indigenous desire for change and inclusion.

Tuesday, October 1, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Location: Lakeshore Branch

Register to save your spot for this free event.

Former Mohawk Institute Residential School, virtual tour & debrief

Provided by the Woodland Cultural Centre, the Library offers a virtual tour of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School. The film gives the history of the school from its opening in 1831 until it closed in 1970. Participants will see different rooms in the school, from the meeting room, student dorms, the third floor, the cafeteria, and the basement. This is a virtual tour presented on screen at the Library.

Wed. Sept. 5, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Location: Lakeshore Branch & Virtual

Register to save your spot for this free event.

Programs for children and families:

Families are invited to participate in interactive programs and activities that help children of all ages learn about the significance of Orange Shirt Day.

PA Day: September 27 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Families can drop into the Lakeshore Branch this PA Day to explore reconciliation in a kid-friendly way, with crafts, stories, letter writing, and more.

Tinkershop: September 26, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Participants in this small workshop will learn to use the resources in HackLAB to create stickers as tools for advocacy and accountability.

Register: $6 per person.

Simcoe Reads: Virtual talk with Simcoe Reads author Amanda Peters

Attend a virtual event with Amanda Peters, author of The Berry Pickers, which is Innisfil's selection for this year's Simcoe Reads competition. Amanda Peters is a mixed-race woman of Mi'kmaq and European ancestry, born and raised in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. The Berry Pickers is her first novel and was named one of CBC Books' best fiction books of the year.

Thursday, October 10, 6 to 7 p.m.

Register to save your spot and access the virtual event.

Curated Reading Lists and Resources: The Library has curated a series of books, articles, and other materials to help deepen understanding of Indigenous history and the ongoing work toward reconciliation.