National Aboriginal Day - Canada

In 1996, Former Governor General Romeo LeBlanc officially declared June 21st as National Aboriginal Day. June 21 was chosen because it is the summer solstice and, for many generations, Aboriginal Peoples have celebrated their culture and heritage on this day. National Aboriginal Day 2007 marks the monumental 11th Anniversary and we are prepared to create an equally special event to celebrate.

National Aboriginal Day is a day for all Canadians to celebrate the cultures and contributions to Canada of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. On June 13, 1996 former Governor General Romeo LeBlanc officially declared June 21 as National Aboriginal Day. June 21 was chosen as a significant date in time when Aboriginal Peoples have traditionally celebrated their culture, tradition and way of life as well the coming of the summer solstice. This celebration of Aboriginal cultures within Canada aims to bring about awareness to the rest of Canadian society, in all aspects of art, music, oral history and traditional games.

The events of National Aboriginal Day within the National Capital Region (NCR) are coordinated and facilitated in conjunction with a National Aboriginal Day committee. The committee is a unique collaboration between six of the primary National organizations reflective of the diversity of Aboriginal people from across Canada. Each organization participates in the planning and execution of the National Aboriginal Day events to ensure that their community's distinct cultures are represented. National Aboriginal Day is an important event as it is represents one of the few collaborative efforts between all of these national organizations demonstrating their commitment to bringing a unified message about Aboriginal people to Canadians through this event.