Every Child Matters

As we officially open the 2021 Vancouver International Children’s Festival we take pause to remember the lives and honour the spirits of the 215 children whose remains were recovered on the grounds of the Kamloops Residential School on the unceded Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation territories. We show our support by going orange and dedicating this year’s festival to these children, their families and their Nations.

Each of these children were loved by the families and communities they were stolen from. These children would have grown up to be parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and Knowledge keepers. They would have been our friends, our classmates and our students. They are victims of the genocidal violence inflicted upon the lives of innocent Indigenous children and their families by the Canadian residential school system. This was only one school out of 130 schools in operation in Canada.

The Kids Fest sends love and strength to the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc people as they cope with this unimaginable loss.

There is a Canada wide FNMI crisis line for those who need support 1–855-242‑3310  and In BC there is the KUU-U5 crisis line: Adults 230 ‑723‑4050,  Youth 250–723-2040 or 1–800-588‑8717

If you would like to purchase an orange shirt please go to Orange Shirt Day.

* Artwork by Andy Everson and used with permission from the Orange Shirt Society.