BC Place to host first Orange Shirt graduation in April 2026, celebrating students educated with full residential school history.
A Milestone Celebration at BC Place
BC Place Stadium will host a historic gathering on Monday, April 13, 2026, when thousands of students from across British Columbia’s graduating class take part in the first-ever Orange Shirt graduation ceremony. The landmark event is expected to draw up to 54,000 attendees.
Marking a Generation Educated in Truth
The ceremony honours the first B.C. graduates to complete Kindergarten to Grade 12 with residential school history fully integrated into their curriculum. Organizers say the event marks a pivotal step in truth-telling and reconciliation in Canada.
Voices Behind the Movement
The initiative is led by the Orange Shirt Society, founded by Phyllis Webstad of Williams Lake. Webstad, who survived the residential school system, called the event a statement of progress: “These graduates are leaving the school system with empathy and knowledge of what happened to us in residential schools.”
Why It Matters for Canada
The graduation symbolizes more than a rite of passage—it reflects Canada’s commitment to ensuring new generations are taught the realities of residential schools. For the Orange Shirt Society, it is about acknowledging the past while empowering youth to carry forward reconciliation.
Tickets and Participation
Tickets will be distributed early in 2026, with B.C. school districts coordinating student participation. Organizers expect representatives from every graduating class across the province to join the celebration at BC Place.
Looking Beyond 2026
The Vancouver event is the first in a series of graduation ceremonies planned nationwide in the coming years. Each will honour students who have grown up learning the truth of Canada’s shared history while recognizing survivors, families, and communities who continue to heal.
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