(Ottawa, ON) – August 9, 2023 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) wishes to commemorate and acknowledge World Indigenous Peoples Day, this year’s theme is “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination,” a theme that we feel acknowledges the roles of Indigenous youth as drivers of change for the future.

According to Amnesty International, approximately 476 million Indigenous Peoples live across 90 countries, representing less than 5% of the world’s population. There are more than 4,000 Indigenous languages globally and today we celebrate the resilience, the rich cultural diversity, and practices that were once outlawed due to colonial expansion.

World Indigenous Peoples Day was first established in 1982 during the inaugural meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in Geneva. Since then, it has been celebrated annually on August 9 to promote the richness of Indigenous cultures and to raise awareness of the ongoing struggles we continue to face in this era of Reconciliation. “On this day, we acknowledge and celebrate all Indigenous Peoples around the world and take notice of their efforts to revitalize and reclaim their cultures and languages. With this year’s theme, we also acknowledge the significant contributions of Indigenous youth and their roles as catalysts for change – they hold the key to a more equitable and sustainable future for the next Seven Generations,” said Teresa Edwards, ED and In-House Legal Counsel at LHF.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for over 23 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate Canadians about the history and existing intergenerational impacts from attending the Residential and Day School and /or being involved in the Child Welfare System on Indigenous Survivors, their families, and communities to promote hope and healing in Canada. The LHF encourages people to address discrimination and injustices in order to contribute to the equality, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples and to foster Reconciliation.

The LHF has more than 30 educational exhibitions that promote awareness of Indigenous history that are free to borrow, and LHF is currently working on making these exhibitions available online. LHF also has curriculum for K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, Workshops and Training, Podcasts, all designed to educate Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and other acts of colonization. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples.