On September 30, 2022, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the City of Moncton will commemorate the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools on First Nations communities.
Invitation to Commemorative Ceremony
- September 30, 2022
- 12 p.m.
- Moncton City Hall Plaza (655 Main Street)
In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the City of Moncton would like to invite everyone to the City Hall Plaza on September 30 at 12 p.m. A prayer and smudging ceremony will be led by Elder Gary Augustine from Elsipogtog First Nation to honour the children who never returned home, the survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
Other commemorative initiatives on this day:
Giant Flag: A giant flag with the words ‘Every Child Matters’ in Mi’kmaq language, is draped on the front of City Hall and will remain until October 3.
Illumination of Spaces: Moncton City Hall, Downing Street, the inside façade of Resurgo Place and the Avenir Centre will be illuminated in orange on Friday, September 30.
Interpretive Signage: Twenty interpretive signs depicting Mi’kmaq words and their pronunciations and meaning in English and French will be installed along Moncton’s Riverfront Trail, at Gérald-LeBlanc Park by City Hall, and in Bore Park.
- This initiative supports the principle included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Report, Call to Action 14, which states that “Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them”.
Banners: In recognition of this day, street light pole banners are on display at Moncton’s Downtown Place around the Ian Fowler Oval. The concept of these banners was developed in collaboration with Moncton Cultural Board member DJ Joseph and other representatives from Elsipogtog First Nation. The design elements include:
- The importance of youth
- The double-curve symbol – a petroglyph in the written dialect Gomtjegeoiigaig, shown across the top part of the banner
- The Every Child Matters logo in Mi’kmaq, English and French
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Thumbnail and top page image: Brian Atkinson Photography / Elsipogtog Cultural Center, courtesy of Tourism New Brunswick
