Letter from Mayor Alto, City of Victoria Re: Support for the 2023 Truth and Reconciliation Day Ceremonial Event
A request from the Mayor of Victoria for a municipal contribution to support the Songhees Nation's 2023 cultural celebration at Royal Athletic Park.
June 22, 2023
Mayor Sid Tobias Township of View Royal Sent via email: mayortobias@viewroyal.ca
Re: Support for the 2023 Truth and Reconciliation Day Ceremonial Event
Dear Mayor Tobias,
On behalf of Victoria City Council, I am writing to request a contribution from your municipality to support the 2023 Truth and Reconciliation Day Ceremonial Event.
September 30, 2021, was the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation recognized by federal government legislation. On September 30, 2022, Songhees Nation hosted a cultural celebration and Pow Wow to mark that national day. More than 10,000 people from around the region, visiting Nations’ members and dignitaries, attended the one-day event, which took place at Royal Athletic Park.
On May 17, 2023, Songhees Nation Council advised the City of Victoria that the Nation will once again observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in a significant, meaningful way. This major cultural and ceremonial event will honour former Indian Residential School students and intergenerational survivors, in memory of those children who died while at these institutions.
This year, the Songhees Nation is proposing to organize and host the 2023 September 30th cultural celebration and Pow Wow at Royal Athletic Park, a venue large enough to hold such a celebration safely and respectfully. It is expected that this event will once again draw substantial interest from many Vancouver Island First Nations and visiting Indigenous Peoples, the general public and all orders of government.
Songhees Nation has requested city support for this occasion, and in seeking additional financial contributions from other south island municipalities. The City of Victoria has allocated a financial contribution of up to $50,000 plus in-kind contributions.
For more information on this opportunity to support Reconciliation on Vancouver Island, please see two enclosed documents: a sponsorship package and a letter from Chief Ron Sam.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to working with your municipality to support this project.
Sincerely,
Marianne Alto Victoria Mayor
Enclosed:
- Letter from Chief Ron Sam - Songhees Nation
- South Island Powwow Sponsorship package 2023
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