VANCOUVER—CUPE members from throughout the Lower Mainland and beyond will be participating in the Walk for Reconciliation (Sunday, September 24), a positive movement to build better relationships among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians.
This bold vision calls on people of all ages, backgrounds, cultures and faiths to come together as communities and as individuals. The first walk, held in Vancouver and Ottawa in 2013, marked the official end of the federal Truth And Reconciliation Commission. This year’s event calls for the transformation and renewal of relationships among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians.
The act of walking and sharing our stories joins us in a commitment to create a new way forward for reconciliation. The theme is ‘Namwayut – We are all one. Reconciliation Canada Ambassador Chief Robert Joseph, a member of the National Assembly of First Nations Elders Council, explains the concept of Reconciliation in an interview distributed in K-12 schools.
On Sunday morning, the 2-kilometre walk will end with the Reconciliation Expo, a gathering at Strathcona Park featuring cultural performances, artisans, food trucks, educational activities and a keynote speech.
CUPE members are encouraged to gather at 9 a.m., at the corner of Hamilton and Georgia in downtown Vancouver, to participate together in the Walk for Reconciliation. Look for our blue CUPE BC Flags – and feel free to bring your local flags!Â
For more information on the programme, visit: http://reconciliationcanada.ca/walk-for-reconciliation-2017/