Penticton community gathered to listen to the Indigenous community and reflect on the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Many people came together in Penticton to honour generations of children and their families harmed by the residential school system, for the country’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Thursday.

An unofficial organized walk took place at noon, with over 200 people starting from the Peach and heading over to the residential school memorial on Penticton Indian Band land.

Afterwords, attendees listening to stories shared from the Indigenous community. A moment of silence was held just before Indigenous members sang the Okanagan song at 2:15 p.m., the time to honour the 215 graves discovered in Kamloops.

Ann, who organized the event, thanked everyone for coming out.

"I am so thankful that there are so many people that are willing to share in this very difficult conversation and to help me learn about truth and reconciliation. I am not Indigenous ... I just wanted to create a safe space for people to come and gather," she said.

One Indigenous community member shared that while this day is a step toward reconciliation, it's just the beginning.

"We've lived it all of our lives. It's letting the truth be told out there and people coming to heightened awareness that this legacy of the residential school impact is still very real," she said.

"For those of us who have either attended residential school or in our generation, was one of the descendants of someone who attended residential school, it gives us an opportunity today to recognize our history. It's our history that has been imposed upon us by the federal government and the churches and the legacy that comes with that."

She also pointed for today to be a part in healing for the community alongside the 94 calls to action in The Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

As of June 30, 2021, 14 Calls to Action have been completed, 23 are in progress with projects underway, 37 are in progress with projects proposed, and 20 have yet to be started, according to according to the British Columbia Treaty Commission.

"Then we can stand shoulder to shoulder with a non-Indigenous community, to help us move forward, where we support one another."

The Penticton Indian Band also shared a statement that they would not be officially recognizing Sept. 30 as Truth and Reconciliation Day as there is still substantial work to be done.