Orange Shirt Day Event September 29, 2025

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Join us on Monday September 29th from 4pm – 6pm for Orange Shirt Day hosted by the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee (SUILC), Skookum Surrey, and the Fraser Regional Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association.   We come together to honour Survivors of the residential school system, their families, and to remember those who did not return.  The event will foster dialogue and learning about BC’s colonial history and how it continues to impact Indigenous communities today. Attendees will be encouraged to reflect on the legacy of colonialism and commit to the ongoing process of Truth and Reconciliation. Remember to wear your orange shirt – a symbol of hope, reconciliation and a commitment to a better future – to show your commitment to both truth and reconciliation.

An Orange Shirt Day Drum March will start at 3:45pm at the Surrey City Hall at the outside staircase. All those gathered will walk and drum to Holland Park together in unity and reflection.

Spread the word! We hope to reach as many community members as possible to foster a larger, more unified gathering. Tell your friends, family, neighbours and coworkers about the event so together we can spread awareness and inspire action.

 

🗓️ When: Monday September 29, 2025

📍 Where: Holland Park

🕓 Time: 4pm-6pm

What to Expect:

  • Bannock
  • Tea
  • Drumming
  • Dancing
  • Story Sharing

Event Guidelines:

  1. Respect: Respect those who are speaking by actively listening and understanding.
  2. Mindfulness: Be mindful of your surroundings. This is a space held for reflection and honouring.
  3. Learning: We are surrounded by many from different journeys; we are all learning.

 

 

All Our Relations: Honouring the Host Nations

Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee's work takes place on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the Katize, Kwantlen, and Semiahmoo First Nations. We recognize their connection to this land and acknowledge that we are newcomers to Surrey like everyone else. Our group, the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee does not represent these land-based First Nations and we are careful not to speak on their behalf. Instead, we represent urban Indigenous people that have moved here from all over BC and Canada to make Surrey their home. Our focus is making Surrey a great place for Indigenous people living in the city — regardless of where they come from, their legal status, or their particular culture heritage. As we do this, we endeavour to live in a good way with the land-based First Nations that have called this land their home since time immemorial.