WINNIPEG – Based on the interest of families and survivors around the city of Winnipeg, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls will host five days of Community Hearings to hear from families of lost loved ones and survivors of violence.
The Winnipeg Community Hearings will take place from October 16 through October 20, 2017. The public hearing venue will be the Radisson Hotel Downtown, 288 Portage Avenue.
The Spiritual and Ceremonial aspects of the Community Hearings will take place at the Oodena Circle, located at the Forks. A Sunrise Ceremony and lighting of the Sacred Fire will start the week in a good way on Monday, October 16, 2017, before 7:oo AM CT.
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls anticipate hearing from approximately 75 family members and survivors who will share their truths with the Commissioners in a variety of ways.
There will be open hearings accessible to the public, where families and survivors speak in front of Commissioner(s). These hearings will be live-streamed on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MMIWG. A pool camera will also be on-site, so the Canadian public will be able to watch the feedthrough numerous national media websites.
Throughout the week, there will be three artistic expression panels. This gives artists a chance to explain their work- visual, audio, material or performance art that can be a representation of reality, expression, or communication of emotion. Art can have a profound impact on others and can provide a permanent record that shares the truth about violence against Indigenous women and awareness about the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
The Commissioners will also be hearing private testimony. The location and times are not publicly available to protect the safety and the privacy of families and survivors. These measures are taken to protect the safety of some families and survivors that are at risk of experiencing violence or re-traumatization if required to speak in a public venue.
During the hearings, there will be opportunities for families and survivors to provide their testimony in a circle before a Commissioner.
There will also be Statement Takers available during the Community Hearings for those who wish to have a more intimate space. This method is facilitated by trained Statement Takers and offers an option to those who wish to provide testimony to the Commissioners in a video recorded format.
A full schedule of the Winnipeg Community Hearing will be posted on our website by next week:http://mmiwg-ffada.ca/en/start-the-healing/community-hearings. Please check our website regularly as it is updated often.
The Winnipeg Community Hearings will have a southern Manitoba focus. The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls are currently in consultation with northern communities to discuss needs and future community visits along with a Community Hearing in northern Manitoba in 2018.
