National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2026
September 30th marks Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
On this day, we recognize the painful history of the residential school system and the deep, lasting harm it has caused Indigenous communities. It’s a time to forward our reconciliation efforts to build a better future for all Canadians.
Reconciliation is the process of healing relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, which requires public truth sharing and commemoration that acknowledges and amends past and present harms.
We all have a role to play in the ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. Special Olympics Canada encourages all athletes, coaches, volunteers, staff and supporters in our community to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, whether through personal reflection or education and awareness activities.
Orange Shirt Day
Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30.
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”. The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. This day relates to the experience of Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem First Nation, on her first day of school, where she arrived dressed in a new orange shirt, which was taken from her.
On September 30, we encourage all Canadians to wear orange to raise awareness of the tragic legacy of residential schools, and to honour the thousands of Survivors.
Special Olympics Canada’s Commitment to Indigenous Inclusion and Partnership
At Special Olympics Canada, we recognize the importance of building meaningful, respectful and enduring relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada.
Our mission is to create an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the transformative power and joy of sport. We have taken important steps to strengthen Indigenous inclusion across our organization and programs, and we remain committed to building on that progress.
We also recognize that this work is ongoing. Meaningful inclusion requires listening, learning and adapting, and must be informed by the knowledge, experiences and priorities of Indigenous communities themselves. As our understanding continues to grow, so too will our approach.
Our work continues to focus on three key areas:
• Meaningful Relationships and Collaboration: We are continuing to build and strengthen reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities, organizations and leaders, grounded in mutual respect, trust and shared understanding. Through these relationships, we aim to better understand and address barriers to participation and create more accessible, relevant and welcoming opportunities for Indigenous athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as their families, coaches and communities.
• Training and Education: We recognize that meaningful inclusion begins with learning. We continue to strengthen opportunities for staff, coaches and volunteers to deepen their understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures and perspectives, and to apply that learning across our organization and programs. We recognize that education is an ongoing process and are committed to continuing to learn as our relationships and understanding evolve.
• Resource Development: We continue to review and strengthen existing resources and develop new approaches through a culturally informed lens. Our goal is to ensure that our resources and programs increasingly reflect the perspectives and diverse realities of the Indigenous communities we seek to serve.
We are proud of the steps we have taken, while recognizing there is more work ahead. We will continue to listen, learn and invest in this work for the long term, guided by the voices, knowledge and experiences of Indigenous partners and communities.
Together, we are working toward a future where more Indigenous people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can experience the belonging, opportunity and joy that sport can create.
Introduction to the Resource Hub
The SOC Indigenous Inclusion Resources have been developed through engagement and support of an Indigenous Inclusion Advisory Committee which is comprised of Indigenous leaders and Special Olympics leaders from across Turtle Island.
The purpose of these resources is to support Chapters in getting started to build relationships, to engage with Indigenous communities and leaders, and to appreciate some of the cultural context and considerations that will be helpful in supporting Indigenous participants across the Special Olympics system. SOC believes these resources will be living documents and will evolve as we continue on this journey and as we build on our collaboration and our learning.
These resources should be used with the mindset of this being a learning journey, and that these are meant to offer support and guidance, to be used along with flexibility and openness. It is important to build relationships and to ask for guidance from local Indigenous leaders along the way. SOC also recommends that you attend ongoing training and learning opportunities to continue to build understanding, appreciation and competency in how to support Indigenous participants, and to create more culturally inclusive programming.