Canada 150 has reminded us all how lucky we are to be Canadian. This September, the Walk for Reconciliation in Downtown Vancouver hopes to highlight the need for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians to come together.

Scheduled to take place on September 24, the 2017 Walk for Reconciliation is calling people of all backgrounds, cultures, faiths, and ages to continue working towards positive reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. The event will begin at 9:30 am with a marshalling at the Queen Elizabeth Plaza, and the walk is set to begin at 10:15 am.

The brief, 2-3 km walk will conclude at Strathcona Park, which will open for the gathering at 11:00 am. Participants will then have the opportunity to listen to high-profile keynote speakers, view multi-cultural and Indigenous performances, and learn more about Reconciliation. The Walk for Reconciliation will provide a unique opportunity for those who are already involved in the Reconciliation movement to get together with like-minded individuals, as well as for those who are interested in becoming a part of the movement to find out more.

The Walk for Reconciliation represents a joint partnership between the City of Vancouver and Reconciliation Canada. Reconciliation Canada is a non-profit charity advised not only by host nation liaisons but also by survivors of Canada’s residential school system. The first ever Walk for Reconciliation took place at Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition in September 2013. Over 70,000 people took part in this event, which was conceived by Chief Dr. Robert Joseph as a tool for healing among Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. Since then, Walk for Reconciliation events have taken place in cities across the country.

This year, the Walk for Reconciliation is a part of Vancouver’s city-wide, year-long Canada 150+ initiative, a strategy for approaching Canada’s milestone anniversary through an Indigenous lens. As a City of Reconciliation, Vancouver has taken steps to ensure that its 150+ celebrations are grounded in consultations with the Indigenous community and that they will strengthen the city’s relations with its Urban Aboriginal community, as well as with its three host nations: the Squamish, the Musqueam and the Tsleil-Waututh. The three host nations have also been heavily involved in other Canada 150+ events, such as the Gathering of the Canoes.

The 2017 Walk for Reconciliation is also part of a much larger Canada 150 Signature Project known as Reconciliation in Action: A National Engagement Strategy. Reconciliation in Action includes several country-wide initiatives which began in 2016 and which will continue to run through the rest of 2017. The goal of these initiatives has been to engage individuals and communities across Canada with the reconciliation process. Canada’s 150th anniversary provided a unique opportunity for this sort of outreach and reflection.

If you live near Vancouver, or if you might have the opportunity to visit this September, then consider adding your voice and your feet to the Walk for Reconciliation. This is one Canada 150 event that truly aims to work towards a better future for all Canadians.