Mi'kmaq national flag now flies high at UPEI
'This is a historic moment,' says UPEI president Alaa Abd-El-Aziz
The Mi'kmaq national flag now flies high over the University of Prince Edward Island.
The ceremony was done to permanently raise the Mi'kmaq national flag over Alumni Canada Games Place and the university campus.
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"It's certainly an honour. As we all know, flags are all proud symbols of who we are; in this case, the Mi'kmaq national flag," said Abegweit First Nation Chief Brian Francis, who attended the ceremony Monday along with many members of P.E.I.'s Indigenous community.
"We're extremely proud to be flying it at the University of Prince Edward Island."
Chief Francis' speech was interrupted slightly as members in the crowd tapped each other, pointing and cheering at an eagle, who was spotted flying high directly over the flags.
"This is a historic moment," echoed Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, the president of UPEI.
In December 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission made 94 calls to action — including calling on post-secondary institutions to re-examine how they can be more inclusive to Indigenous students, faculty research and first nation languages.