The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, held annually on Sept. 30, offers an opportunity to reflect on the harms done to Indigenous peoples by Canada’s colonial and residential school systems. From 1867 through 1996, there were 140 federally run residential schools in operation in Canada. The day honours the Survivors of those schools and the children who never returned home.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a grassroots initiative that commemorates the residential school experience and promotes the idea “Every Child Matters.” By wearing an orange shirt on Sept. 30, participants can help promote awareness of the individual, family and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools and make a statement in support of reconciliation.

Orange Shirt Day and the Day for Truth and Reconciliation offer a chance to open a dialogue on anti-racism. As a determinant of health, racism has a profound impact on child well-being. To learn more about the impacts of racism on young people, see Vol. 15, No. 3 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.

The International Day of Non-Violence occurs a few days later, on October 2. The day commemorates the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement. Gandhi used non-violent activism to help end British colonialism in India. Established by the UN in 2007, the goal of the day is to spread the message of non-violence. According to the UN, it reaffirms the desire “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.”

Violence in the home, including physical punishment, can be a disruptive force in the lives of children and youth. While physical punishment used to be commonplace, fewer and fewer parents are using this form of discipline. To learn more about the trend towards a violence-free childhood, see Vol 9, No. 1 of the Children’s Mental Health Research Quarterly.