Window of Hope, Newcomer Reflections

Welcoming Week is celebrated annually in September across Canada (and around the world), to bring people together and show that everyone belongs, no matter where they come from. It’s a time to celebrate diversity, friendship, and community.

The theme for Welcoming Week 2026 is “Stories We Share: The Courage to Connect”. When we stay curious and open to one another, we find the stories that remind us we’re not navigating this moment alone.

With this theme in mind, three groups of Immigrant Services clients – newcomer youth, Tigrinya-speaking women and Vietnamese-Canadian seniors – came together to share their stories, wisdom, and advice on topics such as arriving in Canada for the first time, experiences settling in Canada and dreams for the future.

Participants were inspired by the following quote:

Hope is not merely passive wishing; it is an active, living force.
It acts as an anchor in times of darkness,
allowing us to find purpose in suffering and look toward the future.
It transforms our perspective,
reminding us that we can endure and overcome hardship.
– Unknown

Their work from these sessions has been compiled into a book with the hope of letting newcomers know that they are not alone, they are part of a vibrant, caring community and that while we are all individuals, we are not so different after all.

View booklet as a pdf.

We would like to express our gratitude to the newcomer and immigrant participants who shared their thoughts about settling in Canada so beautifully; and to our staff facilitators for creating a space where participants felt comfortable sharing their stories.