September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, a day that honors First Nations, Inuit, and Métis lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. The day responds to one of 94 Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada to ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process, following the discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at former residential schools.
The orange shirt is a symbol of remembrance of all Indigenous children who were removed from their families to attend residential schools between the late 1800s to 1996. It recognizes the story of a child who had her orange shirt taken away on her first day at residential school. We invite you to reflect by wearing orange on September 30 and engage in the reconciliation process.
To support reconciliation and create awareness of the significance of Indigenous Peoples, NORR has partnered with Indigenous architects, engineers, and Indigenous-owned firms on more than 16 projects across Canada. We continue to build meaningful relationships through local and/or national Indigenous representation on specific projects to provide input during the engagement and design process. We are committed to the Federal Government’s Indigenous Participation Plan (IPP), which aligns Indigenous principles in architecture and engineering to support Canada’s goal to meet the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) resolution 92.
On a broader basis, we work to uplift legacies and livelihoods by sharing information about Indigenous knowledge, culture, and design in multiple ways, including:
- Our NORR ed Lecture Series featuring Métis Architect Dr. David Fortin on the topic of The Politics of Design in the Age of Reconciliation
- Thought leadership about Designing Meaningful Engagement with Indigenous Groups
- Feature on two-spirit Ojibwe artist Patrick Hunter and how Indigenous Art Fosters Cultural Visibility in Commercial Real Estate
- Participation in the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition’s career fair
- Workplace modernization project of one of Canada’s largest government workplaces, collaborating with Dr. David Fortin to blend contemporary needs with Indigenous cultural heritage, incorporating the Medicine Wheel through colors, layout, and cultural elements inspired by the four seasons, directions, elements, and sacred plants.
Previous Post
