Waterloo Region Welcoming Week 2022

Making our communities more welcoming to all those who call Waterloo Region home

The Immigration Partnership and community partners, in collaboration with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), celebrate Welcoming Week 2022 from September 9 to 18.

We encourage residents and new residents to save the date and join this week to celebrate diversity, inclusion and belonging in Waterloo Region. This week provides newcomers with the opportunity to connect with community services and participate in fun and informative activities to get to know their new home. Welcoming Week also provides opportunities for quality interactions between old and new residents. 

About Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign and celebration to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. This year’s Welcoming Week marks the 10th anniversary of what is now a global event, Canada’s third year participating nationally and Waterloo Region's first year joining this event.
We recognize the important work of many immigrant settlement organizations, community organizations and ethno-cultural groups in welcoming immigrants through their initiatives and events. Welcoming Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the people, places and values that ensure everyone feels welcome and belongs in their local community, no matter where they come from.

How can you participate?

We have an exciting lineup of events for you during Welcoming Week 2022. See below for details and registration links.

Events and Activities

 

Sept 8-18 Health & Wellness Tours for Newcomers, several dates. Hosted by YMCA of Three Rivers

From September 8-18, settlement workers and interpreters at YMCA of Three Rivers will give newcomers a tour of the Health & Wellness facility, help set up memberships, help sign up for programs and provide information on all Y programs and services.

Tour Information
YMCA Location Date Time
Stork Family YMCA Thursday, September 8th 4:00PM - 6:00PM
A.R. Kaufman Family YMCA Sunday, September 11th 11:00AM - 1:00PM
YMCA of Stratford-Perth Tuesday, September 13th 4:00PM - 6:00PM
Chaplin Family YMCA Thursday September 15th 4:00PM - 6:00PM
YMCA-YWCA of Guelph Sunday, September 18th 11:00AM - 1:00PM

Register for a tour here.

For more information, visit Upcoming Events - YMCA of Three Rivers Waterloo Region (ymcacambridgekw.ca)

Sept 10 Newcomer Picnic, 12-3pm. Hosted by Cambridge Newcomer Outreach Program

Newcomer Picnic

Sept 10-11 Virtual Art Show and Colouring Contest, several dates. Hosted by Muslim Women of Cambridge and Greenway-Chaplin Community Centre

  • Newcomer Virtual Art Show; Saturday, September 10
  • Colouring Contest (for ages 5-12); Sunday, September 11

Email info@mwcambridge.net for more details!

Poster 1  Poster 2

Sept 10 & 24 Invitation to Belonging, several dates. Hosted by Volunteer Waterloo Region

For more information and registration, click here.

Poster

Sept 11-13 Welcome Week Tour and Practice Your English Events, several dates. Hosted by Idea Exchange

  • Welcoming Week Tour of the Old Post Office; Sunday, September 11, 2:00-3:00pm
  • Practice Your English drop in at the Hespeler location; Tuesday, September 13 from 6:30-8:00pm

 Sept 13  Territorial Acknowledgements: From Awareness to Practice, 5-6:30pm. Hosted by Immigration Partnership

Immigration Partnership is creating space for meaningful reconciliation between Immigrants, non-Indigenous people, and Indigenous Nation by providing a safe space to discuss what a territorial acknowledgment is and why it is important. It is a virtual event.

We aim to build connections, capacity, and civic engagement to increase social connectedness.

Guest speaker - Clarence Cachagee, founder of Crow Sheild Lodge, a helper, visionary, and author. Clarence originates from Chapleau Cree First Nation and calls Cambridge his home. Clarence has an undeniable spirit for change, he is known to engage with his community through land-based teaching and healing as an Indigenous Community Educator, public speaker, and group facilitator to encourage healing - https://www.crowshieldlodge.com

Please register here - Territorial-Acknowledgement tickets. Please come prepared to share and participate in the discussion. 

WR Multicultural Connections 2022

 Sept 14  Newcomer Info Night, 6-8pm. Hosted by K-W Multicultural Centre and Kitchener Public Library
 Newcomer Info Night

This event is for newcomers, refugees, and volunteers who support them! Registration is not required. Meet, mingle and learn about services available to you in Waterloo Region.

There will be:

  • Community organizations will host booths with information about local services 
  • Free family portraits and professional headshots by local photographer
  • An activity for families
  • Grand River Transit bus tour 
  • Free prizes for first 100 attendees 

Interpretation in Arabic, Tigrinya, Spanish, Ukrainian and other languages will be available. 

Presented in partnership with the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre and the Immigration Partnership.

 Sept 14  "GRT Ride a Bus" Program, 6-8pm

Kitchener Public Library Central, 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener

GRT will host a booth and the Ride a Bus Program will be parked outside KPL. KPL staff will offer language support and they will do short tours. No registration required. 

Get to know Grand River Transit (GRT)!

Learn how to ride Waterloo Region’s transit system. A bus will be on-site for basic orientation and GRT Travel Training experts can answer questions about how to plan a trip, pay your fare and how to ride.

Sept 14 Toyota: Culture Day

Toyota holds an annual Our Culture Day for its employees.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Many Faces, Many Stories… ONE TOYOTA.” The idea is that we are recognizing our diverse intersectional experiences and spotlighting how unique each of us are, and why that’s something to be celebrated and leveraged for continued future success. We’re also exploring a broader definition of Culture through different lenses from gender, sexuality, ethnicity, ability, age, etc. So similarly to Welcoming Week, we want to show that EVERYONE is welcome, embraced, and valued here at TMMC – not despite their differences, but because of them. 

Sept 18Potluck Picnic, 12-4pm. Hosted by MWC and GCCC

Potluck Picnic

 

As part of the WelcomingWeek2022 initiative, MWC and GCCC is hosting a potluck picnic for newcomers to share cultural foods and make friends!

 

If you are bringing food to share, please write down the ingredient list on a piece of paper. Please bring food enough for 15 people.

Please bring your own chairs.

There will be games and prizes and all ages are welcomed!

Don't forget to register!

Contacts