Welland marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation through reflection and learning

The City of Welland, Welland Museum, and Welland Public Library will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Wednesday, September 30, with opportunities for the community to gather, reflect, and learn throughout the day.

The day will begin with a flag raising at Civic Square at 10 a.m. Following the ceremony, community members are invited to walk together to the Welland Museum for screenings of three films exploring Indigenous histories, experiences, and perspectives. An evening screening will also take place at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided at the film screenings.

From 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Welland Public Library will host A Time to Remember, Reflect, and Learn at the Diamond Trail Branch. The all-ages program will offer videos available through Kanopy, along with library materials and activities that provide additional opportunities to reflect and learn about the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“National Day for Truth and Reconciliation calls on all of us to remember, to listen, and to continue learning,” said Mayor Frank Campion. “Coming together as a community is one way we can honour survivors, their families, and Indigenous communities while recognizing that reconciliation requires an ongoing commitment beyond a single day.”

The film program includes Six Miles Deep, Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair, and Birth of a Family.

Six Miles Deep examines a land claim on Six Nations territory and the peaceful actions taken by the Haudenosaunee to protect the land and keep negotiations moving forward. The documentary shares the perspectives of Haudenosaunee clan mothers and explores their efforts and sacrifices to maintain a connection to the land for future generations.

Honour to Senator Murray Sinclair, directed by Alanis Obomsawin, reflects on Sinclair’s work as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and his message that reconciliation requires understanding and accepting difficult truths about Canada’s past and present. The film combines a speech delivered by Sinclair with testimony from former residential school students.

Birth of a Family, directed by Tasha Hubbard, follows three sisters and a brother who were separated as infants through the Sixties Scoop and adopted into different families across North America. Meeting together for the first time as adults, the siblings begin reconnecting with one another and piecing together their shared family history.

The three films are provided courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada.

“Museums have an important role to play in responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action by creating opportunities for people to learn about Indigenous histories, experiences, and perspectives,” said Lisa Mooney, executive director, Welland Museum. “Sharing these films gives our community an opportunity to listen to Indigenous voices and deepen its understanding of the histories and experiences that continue to shape our country.”

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours the children who never returned home from residential schools, survivors, their families, and Indigenous communities. The day also provides an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and consider the role everyone can play in reconciliation.

Community members are welcome to attend the flag raising at Civic Square at 10 a.m., the film screenings at the Welland Museum, and A Time to Remember, Reflect, and Learn at the Welland Public Library’s Diamond Trail Branch from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. No registration is required.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Paul Orlando
Communications Specialist
905-735-1700 x2133
paul.orlando@welland.ca