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Newcomers to Calgary welcomed with special ceremony, First Nation's blessing

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Emad Alsheblak’s family owned land in his hometown of Daraa in Syria where they grew olives and made olive oil.

But when war broke out, he and his family escaped to Jordan in 2013, where he continued to work in the olive oil industry, a cloud of fear and uncertainty hanging over his head.

So when he received a call from the United Nations Refugee Agency asking if his family wanted to move to Canada, he jumped at the chance. On Jan. 9, they arrived in Toronto and were in Calgary the following day.

“He was really happy to receive that call,” said Ammar Mahdi, with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, who was translating for Alsheblak. 

“He was really astonished with the system, how friendly people are, with all the support he got.”

Alsheblak, his wife Walaa and their children Ghazal, 4, Ahmad, 2, and Omar, three months, were among the hundreds of newcomers gathered at Calgary’s city hall atrium Saturday for an official welcoming ceremony.

The event included a performance by Syrian children, a First Nation blessing, and an information booth with booths from EMS, the Calgary Fire Department, organizations offering legal and employment guidance, as well as attractions such as the Calgary Zoo.

Attendees carried tote bags bursting with brochures, activity books, and little gifts. Some waved signs that read “Thank you Calgary” adorned with drawings of hearts and maple leafs.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi shared his own story of being a son of immigrants from Tanzania. 

“Every single one of us, regardless of where we came from, how we look like, how we worship, we have the opportunity to live a great Canadian life,” Nenshi told the crowd, the majority of them refugees from Syria.

He said there is still hard work and challenges ahead, but he assured the newcomers that Calgarians will continue to support them and help them integrate into the community. 

Katie Black, director of Calgary neighbourhoods, said the community’s hard work goes beyond welcoming newcomers at the airport as the city will continue to see more refugees, immigrants and migrants from other parts of the country arriving.

“So we’re very excited that so many community organizations are here to create that strong circle of support for all newcomers and for their sponsors,” she said, adding there will be other events planned in the coming months.

As for Alsheblak, he vowed he would continue to work hard as a new Calgarian.

“He’s going to prove himself,” said Mahdi. “He’s going to work hard to study English and become a nurse.”


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