Join the Community Gathering and Walk in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

JOINT NEWS RELEASE

Wear orange on Sept. 30 to honour and support Residential School Survivors, their families, communities and those who never returned home.

All are invited to join the Community Gathering and Walk on Sept. 30 to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025

Time: 10 a.m.

Location: Jubilee Plaza, 9909 Franklin Ave., downtown Fort McMurray

Details: The gathering will begin with an opening prayer and brief remarks. This will be followed by a walk to SMS Equipment Place, formerly Shell Place, on MacDonald Island.  

Refreshments: Light refreshments will be available at SMS Equipment Place after the walk.

The gathering and walk are held in partnership with the Athabasca Tribal Council.

“By joining the Community Gathering and Walk, we can acknowledge the truth of our history, while supporting Survivors and their families by letting them know that they matter and that Every Child Matters,” said Dennis Fraser, Director of Indigenous and Rural Relations at the RMWB.

"On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour the survivors of residential schools and remember the children who never made it home. When we come together for the community gathering and walk, we are united in the journey of healing and justice," said Chief Allan Adam, President of the Athabasca Tribal Council and Chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.

About National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an important day to learn and understand the legacy of residential schools, the wrongs carried out by the church and governments and the harm that continues to impact Indigenous Peoples and communities. Community members are encouraged to use the day to reflect and think about how we can all move together as a region towards reconciliation.

Wearing orange: supporting Survivors and raising awareness

Orange Shirt Day is held in accordance with National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, serving as a meaningful opportunity to raise awareness of the profoundly harmful impacts that residential schools have caused. It’s a day to deepen our understanding of history and work towards healing, while fostering mutual understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Canada.

The orange shirt is a symbol that originates from the personal experience of Phyllis Webstad and signifies the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. Wearing an orange shirt is a symbol of solidarity, remembrance and a commitment to learning about our true shared history.

RMWB’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation

For more information and resources dedicated to Truth and Reconciliation including videos, learning modules and the Municipality’s response to the Commission’s Calls to Action, visit rmwb.ca/trc.

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