Have a Heart Day is a child and youth-led reconciliation event that brings together caring Canadians to help ensure First Nations children have the services they need to grow up safely at home, get a good education, be healthy, and be proud of who they are.
This year, to prevent spreading COVID-19, Spirit Bear is #hibernating4health. So you may not see him out and about as often as in previous years. This doesn’t mean he isn’t still working hard to defend the rights and futures of First Nations kids.
But he does want help: kids who are also staying safe at home can make Snow Spirit Bears outside with families and share pictures of your snow bears and valentines on social media. Remember to use the hashtag #HaveaHeartDay and tag the Prime Minister and MPs; this way, Spirit Bear and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society can find your sculptures and art.
There are many other ways, both big and small, that you can celebrate Have a Heart Day in COVID-19 safe ways. Here are some ideas:
- Send a Valentine’s Day card or letter supporting Have a Heart Day to the Prime Minister and your Member of Parliament. Create your own card or letter or get creative using the letter or colouring pages found below.
- Host a socially-distanced or online Valentine’s Day party to raise awareness in your school or community. Choose a day leading up to Valentine’s Day that makes sense for your class or community. Download and edit the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society’s Have A Heart Day poster to use for your event. Fill & Sign to edit using Adobe Reader (free download here).
- Bring reconciliation into the classroom to get your students ready. Do Project of Heart. For other great ideas, visit the Shannen’s Dream School Resources page.
- Spread the word through social media like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Use the hashtag #HaveaHeartDay and/or #JourneeAyezUnCoeur.
Explore the Have a Heart Day website for more ideas and download Have a Heart Day resources!
Click on this link to hear Senator Kim Pate make a statement on Have a Heart Day, commending the children and emphasizing the importance of their cause. You can read Senator Pate’s message for Have a Heart Day 2020 here.
Through activities like Have a Heart Day, we are creating a movement where the landscape of Canada is only one of honour and possibility for First Nations children.
Learn more about the case at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal >>>
