*Please read below for an important message from Murali regarding the September 18th Truth & Reconciliation Commission*

Dear Graduate Students,

You have likely seen some information about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the national event they are holding to raise awareness of the Indian Residential School System that operated in Canada from 1875 – 1996. The event will take place in Vancouver from September 18^th – 21^st.

While the majority of undergraduate classes at UBC have been suspended on Wednesday September 18^th in order to encourage students to participate in this event, we have made the decision to run graduate classes (MBA & MM) as scheduled that day. Our programs run on a different timeline to the rest of UBC, and with the condensed nature of the learning it makes it very difficult to cancel a full Wednesday of classes at Sauder because of the need to then run numerous make-up classes over your lunch hours and after regular class hours in an already very full schedule.

The decision to run classes this day was not made lightly, is not meant to detract from the importance of the TRC event, nor prevent you from participating outside of class time.

The majority of events and activities associated with the TRC National Event are ongoing and not specific to Sept. 18^th – you will find a full listing of events here: http://irsi.aboriginal.ubc.ca/events/. The main activities associated with the TRC take place from Wed Sept 18^th – Sat Sept 21^st at the PNE Exhibition Grounds – we encourage you to explore the Saturday schedule for activities you may wish to participate in.

We also encourage you to learn more about the important issues of reconciliation by visiting the TRC on-campus exhibits, which are available over numerous days:

• Museum of Anthropology – Sept 18 – Mar 2: MOA Speaking to Memory: Images and Voices from St Michael’s Indian Residential Schools
• Belkin Art Gallery – Sept 6 – Dec 1: Witnesses: Art and Canada’s Indian Residential Schools
• UBC Robson Square – Sept 13 – Sept 27: Inquiry: Talking about Indigenous rights through classroom debate

In addition, there is a Reconciliation Walk taking place on Sunday, September 22 in Vancouver. The walk is being organized by Reconciliation Canada, a project established as a collaboration between the Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society and Tides Canada Initiatives Society.  There will be live entertainment, storytelling and dance before, after and along the walk route. The walk starts at the Vancouver Public Library, loops around downtown, and ends at Science World.

If you would like to get a taste of the TRC event on Wednesday Sept 18^th over your lunch hour the First Nations Longhouse at UBC is holding an all-day installation called “Weaving together First Nations’ traditional knowledge and UBC Biology”. There will be numerous displays to explore and it’s a short walk from the Henry Angus building.

The multi-day nature of the TRC event combined with numerous on-campus options should give you ample opportunity to engage in this important conversation, and we encourage you to consider what your participation will look like outside of class hours.

Sincerely,

Murali