What is Welcome Week?
Welcoming Week is a Government of Canada program initiated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s “Immigration Matters” team. The team invites you to participate in Welcoming Week, from September 8 to 17, 2023! The following summary is from the Canadian Government website and gives us a good sense of what this initiative is about and we can best support it.
The focus this year is on bringing together new and long-term residents to create communities and spaces where everyone feels like they belong, no matter where they come from.
During Welcoming Week, take the opportunity to showcase the contributions that immigrants have made to your community or workplace. Share inspiring examples and stories on social media using #WelcomingWeek2023.
This is an annual opportunity to recognize and celebrate the people, places and values that help everyone feel welcome and give them a sense of belonging in their local community, no matter where they come from.
This year’s Welcoming Week takes place from September 8 to 17. We recognize the important work of many immigrant settlement organizations in this space. Welcoming Week is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of these activities.
Successful integration is a two-way street: the more welcoming communities are, the more newcomers feel at home and contribute locally.
Here are some tips and shareable content to help you spread messages about inclusion and the benefits of immigration on your website and social media channels. We encourage you to do what works best for your community.
As part of Welcoming Week, it’s important to acknowledge that the history of Canada began far earlier than the European colonization and settlement and to understand the history of the Indigenous Peoples that are living on this land and have been since time immemorial, long before immigrants came from all around the world.
When sharing on social media, be sure to use #WelcomingWeek2023