Heritage Day 2025 highlights new generation of heritage champions

Ottawa City Hall to host Heritage Day celebration on February 18. Come one, come all to Ottawa City Hall on Tuesday, February 18 from noon to 2 pm to celebrate Heritage Day 2025. This year’s theme is: Heritage Champions: Crafting a Legacy of Preservation and Innovation. Annual Heritage Day celebrations and activities raise awareness about the importance of preserving and promoting regionally significant historic, architectural, natural and scenic heritage. This year’s theme recognizes and celebrates a new generation of heritage enthusiasts, like Anishinàbe Odjìbikan, a First Nation-led archaeological field school, and Noah Chandler Merlo, the 11-year-old first-place recipient of the 2024 City of Ottawa Local History Award for his project on the Russell Hotel. During the event, Mayor Sutcliffe will present this year’s Heritage Day proclamation to Anishinàbe Odjìbikan. Anishinàbe Odjìbikan was created through a collaborative effort between the Anishinàbe Algonquin communities of Kitigàn Zìbì Anishinàbeg and the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation. The discovery of a stone mòkòman (knife) in 2019, during the rehabilitation of Parliament Centre Block set in motion the collaboration. The field school’s mission is to build archaeological expertise within the Anishinàbe Algonquin Nation, bringing together team members from both communities to protect, preserve, and reclaim their history. Following the proclamation ceremony, you can learn more about local history by visiting the Heritage Showcase, featuring local heritage groups, like Capital Heritage Connexion. Come and meet the people and organizations working to preserve and promote local legacies and history.