City of Peterborough Marks Red Dress Day

Peterborough, ON – Red Dresses will be hanging in the windows of City Hall to mark the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirited People (MMIWG2S) on May 5, 2025.

Mayor Jeff Leal will proclaim May 5 to be Red Dress Day during a commemorative ceremony Monday, May 5, at 10 a.m. at City Hall, 500 George St. N. All are welcome to attend. 

“Red Dress Day is a powerful reminder of the heartbreaking and ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people in Canada. The red dresses hanging in silence call out for justice, action and for the recognition of lives lost and families forever changed. On the National Day of Awareness, I encourage all residents of Peterborough to take a moment to reflect on the lives behind the statistics, and to consider hanging a red dress in a window, on a porch, or in a public space as a powerful symbol of remembrance and solidarity,” said Mayor Jeff Leal.

“We cannot turn away from the systemic racism and gender-based violence that have made Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people disproportionately vulnerable. As a country, and as a community, we have a responsibility to listen, to learn, and to act. On this National Day of Awareness, we ask that you stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities in honouring the memory of those who are missing or murdered—and in committing to a future where all people can live in safety, dignity, and respect,” said Shelley Knott, Advisor, Indigenous Relations with the City of Peterborough.

The ceremony will include a smudging ceremony, singing, traditional drumming and speeches from local dignitaries.