ABOUT APTN INDIGENOUS DAY LIVE
APTN Indigenous Day Live (IDL) brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together in celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) and the summer solstice. Through cultural and musical performances, IDL honours the unparalleled achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people across Turtle Island. Each year, IDL presents a refreshing lineup of collaborations in English, French and a variety of Indigenous languages. Held annually since 2007 on the Saturday closest to NIPD, the multi-platform broadcast is available to audiences in Canada via APTN, APTN lumi and participating Indigenous radio stations.
What is National Indigenous Peoples Day?
National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. National Aboriginal Day, as it was named at the time, was first celebrated on June 21, 1996, after being recognized through a proclamation by then Governor General Roméo LeBlanc.
On June 21, 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement announcing the government's intention to rename National Aboriginal Day to National Indigenous Peoples Day. National Indigenous Peoples Day is part of Celebrate Canada days, although most provinces do not recognize it as a statutory holiday.