A Community Blanket Exercise

Since its creation in 1997, hundreds of thousands of people have participated in the Kairos Blanket Exercise program in Canada and around the world, including in the United States, Guatemala, and Australia. The program serves to educate and create understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples by engaging participants emotionally and intellectually.

You are invited on Satruday, February 2 to participate in a local version of the Kairos Blanket Exercise at Lynn Valley United. Trained facilitators supported by Indigenous Elders or knowledge keepers, will set the stage for the guided experience, literally ‘walking’ participants through situations that include pre-contact, treaty-making, colonization and resistance.   

The Blanket Exercise is an interactive and participatory history lesson developed in response to the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in 1996 –particularly regarding the recommendation for education about Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the key steps to reconciliation. More than five centuries of history are covered in this experiential workshop aimed at fostering understanding of a shared history as Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Since its creation, the program has been updated several times- most recently in response to the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation final report.

The Blanket Exercise concludes with a debriefing, conducted as a `talking circle’, during which participants discuss the learning experience, process their feelings, ask questions, share insights and deepen their understanding. 

There is no cost to register for this program, but a donation to support expenses (such as serving lunch) is requested. Please use the form below to RSVP: