Dear members of the McGill community,
Since 2009, in Canada, the month of June has been dedicated to learning about and celebrating the unique cultures, traditions, and experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples - the inhabitants and custodians of these lands since time immemorial.
At McGill, National Indigenous History Month will be marked by a series of events dedicated to honouring First Nations, Inuit, and Métis stories, achievements, and resilience within and beyond our University community. These include the annual raising of the Hiawatha Wampum Belt Flag on National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) and a fully online event series hosted by the Indigenous Relations Initiative (IRI) in the School of Continuing Studies.
National Indigenous History Month offers us all a chance to reflect on the work being done at McGill to implement our own 52 Calls to Action in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. While we have made important strides related to these Calls, much work remains. National Indigenous History Month represents an opportunity to learn from and celebrate with Indigenous peoples on the path toward Indigenous recognition and reconciliation at McGill.
I invite you to join me in celebrating National Indigenous History Month. To learn more about Indigenous Initiatives at McGill, please visit the Office of Indigenous Initiatives’ website. To learn more about upcoming IRI events and to register, please visit the School of Continuing Studies’ website.
Sincerely,
Christopher Manfredi
Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)