Every Child Matters: Marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

On Friday, September 29, our students and staff marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, observed annually on September 30, to honour Canada’s residential school survivors, their families and communities.

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said “The most beloved of God’s servants to Him is the one who is most sympathetic to His servants.” As Muslim settlers to the land now known as Canada, we must be sympathetic and recognize the injustice and oppression faced by all peoples, including Indigenous Peoples.

We are guided by Allah through the Holy Quran and the Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.) and we must strive to be empathic, compassionate and inclusive to all. Our school nurtures a sense of self-worth, self-discipline, understanding of the rights of fellow human beings, interdependence between local and global issues and above all, an integrated Islamic personality of its students.

How did we acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was observed in various ways at our school including:

• Creating a unity quilt that was displayed in the gymnasium: All students created a piece of the quilt by drawing and writing about truth and reconciliation under the theme of love, unity and harmony
• Speaking about truth and reconciliation during morning assembly, with an opportunity to reflect on the significance of this day.
• Gathering together in the gymnasium after morning recess to formally acknowledge the day collectively through presentations.
• Wearing orange over uniforms and orange hijabs, as a symbol of hope, reconciliation and a commitment to a better future. Together, we made a statement to support reconciliation and commit to the enduring truth that EVERY CHILD MATTERS.

Hear from our students

Grade 6 student Kazim R delivered the land acknowledgement , an important step in reconciliation.

A warm thank you to our Grade 3C students (Mohammed M, Zaynab N, Kadhim R, Sakina J, Maya S, Maryam A, Zayn Z, Hasnain M) for their

A heartfelt thank you to our student Abrar M for writing and sharing   in honour of this significant day.

And have a look at some classroom displays videos  acknowledging the day.

About the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The Indian Residential School system operated across Canada between the 1870s and the 1990s. Indian Residential Schools were created to separate Indigenous children from their families and communities, and to systematically strip away their traditions, cultural practices and languages. More than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children from across the country were forced to attend Indian Residential Schools, which were often located far from their homes and sadly, many never made it home.

Each year, our students join many others across the country to reflect and honour survivors, their families and communities affected by the legacy of Indian Residential School policies.