About the event
ANKORS and community partners will host an International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) event in Nelson this year.
IOAD brings our community together to honour those who have died from toxic drug poisonings, support those affected by substance use, and reduce stigma through remembrance, education and connection.
The event includes guest speakers, a healing circle led by an Elder, naloxone training, community resource tables, and opportunities to connect with local organizations.
Together, we recognize every life lost, promote harm reduction, and strengthen our collective response to the ongoing toxic drug crisis. Our theme is lined up with the international theme for 2026: "25 years on. Still needed." Emerging from darkness into light, we celebrate life's resilience with community support, compassion and hope.
