APTN, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) and the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation have teamed to produce a 90-minute multilingual commemoration, titled Remembering the Children, to mark the third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) on Saturday (Sept. 30).

The special will be broadcast live across Canada from Parliament Hill, on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation, according to a news release, with more than a dozen broadcasters and news organizations set to air it live.

The commemoration is supported by Canadian Heritage and seeks to “honour residential school survivors, pay tribute to the children who never made it home and deliver a safe and nurturing environment for reconciliation and healing,” said the release.

The 2023 gathering will encompass reflections from elders and survivors, including Claudette Commanda, Dr. Evan Adams and Dr. Levinia Brown, and will also feature performances by First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists such as Aysanabee, Willows, Alicia Kayley and more.

The special will be hosted by Charles Bender and Madeleine Allakariallak and will include dialogue in English, French and Indigenous languages. The live gathering will be broadcast on all APTN channels and made available to all Canadian broadcasters.

The networks participating include AMI-tv, Blue Ant Media, The Canadian Press, CBC, CHCH TV, CHEK Media, Citytv, CPAC, CTV, CTVNews.ca, CTV News app, Global News, Hollywood Suite, Inuit TV, Knowledge Network, OutTV, Radio-Canada, Rogers TV, Super Channel, Unis TV and Uvagut TV.

Remembering the Children will be available for streaming on APTN lumi on Oct. 2. In addition, APTN will broadcast a full weekend of special programming to honour residential school survivors, their families and their communities, including a range of educational shows and documentaries, beginning on September 30 and airing across all APTN channels.

“National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity for all of us, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to come together in a spirit of healing and understanding,” said APTN CEO Monika Ille in a statement. “Remembering the Children offers us an opportunity to honour our shared history, celebrate resilience and work towards a future where every voice is heard, and every story matters.”

Image courtesy of APTN