National Day for Truth and Reconciliation begins with Sunrise Ceremony

Rainbow District School Board will host a Sunrise Ceremony on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. The ceremony will begin at 6:45 am on the grounds of Lively District Secondary School.

As the sun rises to greet an historic day, community members are invited to learn about the legacy of residential schools and their impact on generations of Indigenous children and their families. The ceremony will honour Residential School Survivors and their families, commemorate the children who never returned home, and honour the survivors who had the courage to share their stories.

Gerard Sagassige, Anishinaabe M’nidookewin Enaadmaaget and Martina Osawamick, Anishinaabe kwe, Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, will lead the ceremony. “Rainbow District School Board has been hosting a Sunrise Ceremony to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation since its inception,” said Chief Executive Officer Bruce Bourget.

He added: “We express our gratitude to Gerard Sagassige and Martina Osawamick for sharing their personal journeys on this day of remembrance. Staff and students will wear orange as a symbol of truth and engage in meaningful reflection throughout the day as we continue to walk together on our path towards reconciliation.”

Some students in Grades 4 to 12 in Rainbow Schools will take part in a full-day of cultural reclamation and education at Bell Park as the Indigenous community collectively presents “Truth. Hope. Resiliency”. The day is designed to engage students in age-appropriate activities and teachings related to Indigenous culture and the history of residential schools.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171 ext. 7217.