Sunrise Ceremony

We warmly invite conference delegates to participate in a sacred Sunrise Ceremony, an opportunity to gather in reflection, offer thoughts and prayers to the Creator, give thanks, and open the conference in a good way. In the spirit of this year’s theme—The Spirit of Water: Bringing Together Diverse Knowledge Systems in a Climate of Change—this ceremony offers a moment to honour the interconnectedness of all beings and the importance of water as a source of life, knowledge, and relationship.

The Sunrise Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, June 16, at the Oodena Celebration Circle at the Forks where the Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet, a place of profound historical and cultural significance for Indigenous Peoples, and a longstanding gathering place grounded in connection, exchange, and respect.

The sun is set to rise at 5:19 AM that day, Participants are kindly asked to arrive and be seated on time before the sun rises. We recommend arriving at the Forks no later than 5:00 AM. Please dress appropriately for the weather as we will move ahead with the sunrise ceremony rain or shine. Please be advised that photography and video recording are not permitted during this event. We appreciate your cooperation.

We have arranged for buses to transport conference delegates from the Fairmont Hotel to the ceremony site. Please indicate during conference registration if you require transportation to and from the Forks. For those that are able, we will walk back along the Red River to the Fairmont Hotel together as a group.  

We are asking that any guests who wish to attend the sunrise ceremony RSVP to cwra2026@cwra.org before June 8, 2026. 

We look forward to coming together in this shared moment of respect, reflection, and connection as we begin our time together for this important gathering.