"The Pathways to Reconciliation" conference included more than 30 workshops, panels, and keynote speakers including Dr. Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, and Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, Ambassador for Reconciliation Canada.
"The Pathways to Reconciliation" conference included more than 30 workshops, panels, and keynote speakers including Dr. Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, and Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, Ambassador for Reconciliation Canada.
WINNIPEG, MB-It's been a year since the Truth and Reconciliation Final Report was released and hundreds of people gathered in Winnipeg for a conference to explore a path to reconciliation.
Called "Pathways to Reconciliation" the conference took place at the University of Winnipeg, June 15-18.
Just over a year after the Truth and Reconciliation summary report was released, hundreds of people gathered in Winnipeg for a conference to explore a pathway to reconciliation.
The national conference called "Pathways to Reconciliation" took place at the University of Winnipeg campus in downtown Winnipeg.
"The conference [was] a really important opportunity to gather to discuss the important work of reconciliation ahead, our understandings of reconciliation, how we implement all of the work that we need to do and how we understand whether or not we are hitting our marks or not in terms of achieving the goals that have been set out for us," Ry Moran, the director of National Research Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba and co-chair of the conference told CBC News.
The conference included more than 30 workshops, panels, and keynote speakers including Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, and Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, ambassador for Reconciliation Canada.
According to Moran, it's meaningful that the conference was held in Winnipeg because it's where the TRC headquarters are located and where the first national event was launched six years ago in June.
"We have been at the heart of conversations as Winnipeggers for a very long time," he said.
The conference reached capacity with around 350 participants.
There were free events for the public including a workshop with renowned Cheyenne artist and professor Edgar Heap of Birds. Through the workshop, participants collectively made a large-scale drawing exploring First Nations history, personal stories, and reconciliation.
For the general public there was a film screening, sharing circles, and information sessions on truth and reconciliation.
Moran said it was important to involve many people because reconciliation will include everyone.
"Everybody's voice counts in reconciliation, everybody's voice matters, and having as many conversations as possible and keeping the fire burning as brightly as we possibly can on this issue of reconciliation is critically important as we walk down this path," he said.
