O’Leary celebrates increasingly diverse residents
O’Leary hosted its first multiculturalism day occasion on Monday.
The occasion showcased the language, tradition and meals of western P.E.I. residents who’re initially from throughout Canada and all over the world.
“It’s actually, I feel, going to allow us to really feel like a household,” stated Lihong Ling, who moved to P.E.I. from China along with her husband Ling Jie Liu in 2019.
“We’ll present many individuals totally different cultures of various international locations, areas, and we like to be one in every of individual right here to share our tradition, our expertise, with different peoples, and likewise make new associates right here.”
The couple have a enterprise providing baguazhang martial arts courses and tui na therapeutic massage, a conventional Chinese language medical observe. An indication of baguazhang was a part of the occasion.
Andrew Avery, director of recreation for O’Leary, stated the inhabitants of the city has modified considerably lately.
“We have now residents now from throughout Canada, from many various international locations,” stated Avery.
“To have the ability to present a bit little bit of every part that we will, the place everyone’s from, we simply assume that is an excellent spotlight of our city now.”
‘It helps open the door’
The occasion got here along with the help of the province’s neighborhood navigator program, which offers help to newcomers in rural P.E.I. Western P.E.I. neighborhood navigator Scott Smith stated partnering with municipalities is crucial to serving to newcomers settle in.
“We will not do that work alone, it actually takes a neighborhood,” stated Smith.
“After we can accomplice with municipalities, particularly in rural areas, it helps open the door for all newcomers and new residents all throughout P.E.I. to really feel welcomed and part of their communities.”
These occasions not solely assist folks really feel welcomed, however contribute to attracting extra folks to rural elements of the province, he stated.
Ruby Lubigan, who moved to P.E.I. in 2011 from the Philippines and have become a Canadian citizen in 2018, now serves on the neighborhood navigator committee, as a result of she is aware of how troublesome it may be to really feel at dwelling in a brand new nation.
“This type of occasion that may assist us to really feel at dwelling, chill out, you realize, from being away from dwelling,” stated Lubigan.
