The Walk for Reconciliation was powerful. On September 24, over 50,000 Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members gathered in Vancouver to walk together and share stories of resilience. Walk for Reconciliation acknowledges the injustice experienced by Canadian Indigenous communities and the continuous work needed. The goal is to learn from the past, and create cross-cultural understanding. As one of the Elected Chiefs of Squamish First Nation put it, ‘Reconciliation is not a word, it is an action’. It is up to all of us as Canadians to make sure historical mistakes are not repeated.
Staff, faculty, and students from across BCIT expressed their commitment to reconciliation and participated in the day’s events. Closer to home, BCIT Indigenous Services continues their work forging meaningful and beneficial relationships with Indigenous students and Indigenous communities in the Lower Mainland. Through cultural and educational activities, the BCIT Indigenous Gathering Place creates a sense of inclusion and belonging for Indigenous students.
In a multicultural society, bearing witness is increasingly important to facilitate healing. Standing and walking alongside Indigenous people is a step towards building cultural bridges of inclusion and social harmony.
To learn about some of the other ways BCIT supports our Indigenous community, watch this video of a meeting at BCIT Indigenous Services.