NAN holds Day of Prayer

This year’s NAN Day of Prayer was held during National Addictions Awareness Week to encourage and promote a lifestyle free of addictions among individuals, families and communities.
“There has been a growing concern with prescription drug abuse in NAN’s (Nishnawbe Aski Nation’s) communities, including most recently, the state-of-emergency declared in Eabametoong First Nation,” said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy during the NAN Day of Prayer gathering Nov. 15 at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School in Thunder Bay.
“As NAN leadership, we continue to advocate on behalf of the Nishnawbe Aski people for long-term assistance from both levels of government in hopes of reducing the current health and social impacts that the prescription drug abuse epidemic has in NAN territory.”
The Day of Prayer began with a live radio broadcast over the Wawatay Radio Network and continued with the gathering at DFC, which included a speech by Beardy, prayers by NAN Elders, an honour song, a moment of silence and a luncheon.
“Today we acknowledge the strength, resiliency and gifts of the Nishnawbe Aski people and ask our Creator to help us overcome the challenges we face every day,” Beardy said.
The NAN Day of Prayer was first declared in 2002 by the NAN Chiefs-in-Assembly to set aside one day each year for community healing. It is designed to recognize and reaffirm the special relationship Nishnawbe Aski people have with the Creator and with the land.