The Survivors' Flag is flying across the three campuses as the University of Toronto community prepares to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.
Created by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in consultation with survivors, the flag honours the Indigenous lives and communities impacted by the residential school system.
On the St. George campus, the Survivors' Flag was recently raised at Varsity Stadium. At U of T Mississauga, it's flying outside the Davis Building. A recent flag-raising ceremony at U of T Scarborough included reflections, songs and a reflective walk through the Ma Moosh Ka Win Valley Trail .
All flags will be lowered to half-mast across the three campuses on Tuesday as the university formally recognizes Sept. 30.
A university-wide commemoration will be held in the Great Hall at Hart House, organized by the U of T Mississauga, U of T Scarborough and institutional Offices of Indigenous Initiatives, First Nations House Student Services and Hart House.
U of T students, staff, faculty, librarians and community members are invited to register to attend in person or join virtually via livestream . Community members at U of T Mississauga can watch a livestream of the commemoration in the Student Services Hub .
The commemoration will feature a keynote from Carey Newman , whose traditional name is Hayalthkin'geme, a multi-disciplinary artist, carver, filmmaker, author and public speaker.
U of T President Melanie Woodin, Linda Johnston, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Scarborough, and David Kim, warden of Hart House, are also scheduled to deliver remarks.
First Nations House Indigenous Student Services will be supporting the commemoration by hosting a ceremonial fire at Ziibiing on the St. George campus.
One day earlier, a community fire and gathering is scheduled to be held on the Tipi Grounds at U of Scarborough to share space, listen and learn about Orange Shirt Day.
U of T Libraries, meanwhile, plans to mark Sept. 30 by hosting a book club on Tanya Talaga's The Knowing at the OISE Library.
All U of T community members are encouraged to wear orange on Sept. 30 as a show of solidarity and a reminder that "Every Child Matters."
This year, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives has partnered with the U of T Bookstore on a limited run of shirts featuring noojimo'iwe, an award-winning design by MJ Singleton, an Ojibwe, two-spirit student from Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation studying at U of T Mississauga.
Proceeds from the shirts will support the Orange Shirt Society . Community members can also download a virtual background and profile icon with noojimo'iwe to use throughout the week.
