Warm welcome for Calgary’s newcomers
Posted Mar 12, 2016 5:49 pm.
Last Updated Mar 12, 2016 6:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The City of Calgary hosted an official welcoming ceremony for newcomers to Calgary Saturday afternoon with a traditional First Nations blessing and singing ceremony.
As well as participating in the event, newcomers had the chance to learn about resources and services offered by the city and community organizations to help them settle.
Held in the atrium of the Municipal building, the Calgary Welcome and Newcomers Fair provided the opportunity for Mayor Nenshi, city staff, community groups and volunteers to personally welcome our newest neighbours to Calgary.
“Now we have to work hard to make sure the language training facilities are there, that the settlement agencies are well supported and that volunteers are doing meaningful work with these refugees,” says Nenshi. “Because remember the refugee funding runs out, so we have to ensure that in a relatively short period of time we’re helping people with language supports, with employment supports and housing supports. To make sure when the refugee funding runs out they’re able to stand on their own two feet.”
Among the crowd was the Alsheblak family, which includes Emad and his wife Walaa and their children Ghazal, 4, Ahmad, 2, and Omar who is three-months old. A translator told reporters their story:
Similar events are being planned for the rest of the year throughout Calgary.
