The RCNS is pleased to announce the award of a $75,000 Rotary Global Grant to foster Peace and Reconciliation. The grant, with supporting funding from Rotary clubs in Brantford, St Catharines, Hamilton–Stony Creek, Niagara Falls and Toronto area clubs and International club South Portland Cape Elizabeth, Maine is in support of the upcoming Youth to Youth (Y2Y) Truth and Reconciliation Experience to be held at Chiefswood Park in Ohsweken (near Brantford) March 22-29.
The Y2Y gathering brings 25 Indigenous and 25 non-Indigenous youth leaders from all across Canada together for a week of cultural teachings and reconciliation sharing circles. The experience starts with the truth about residential schools with Phyllis Webstad, founder of Orange Shirt Society, then provides teaching on peace treaties, illustrated by wampum belts, and provides hands-on cultural learning making wampum belts and traditional rattles. There will be many Elders and Knowledge Keepers, including Diane Longboat, Ken Maracle, Norma Jacobs and Frank Miller (Tehahenteh) with deep understanding of Haudenaunee culture and traditional knowledge to provide teachings to participants.
The global grant funding is targeted to the unique nature of this year’s program as it will held entirely on reserve at Six Nations Chiefswood Park, and the food for the program will be by Indigenous chefs adding a immersive element to the event which is now in its fourth year.
”We are very pleased to be hosting this year’s gathering at Six Nations and thrilled to have youth leaders from across Canada working together for true reconcilation,” say Jim and Marjorie Dawson, co-chairs of the Rotary District 7090 Honouring Indigenous Peoples (HIP) committee.
