\u201cWe don\u2019t come to Canada simply looking for a safe harbour. We come ready to build, to serve, and to give back.<\/p>\n
I arrived in Canada with nothing but hope. Today, I have a career, a community, and opportunities I could never have imagined. My experience is a testament to what becomes possible when refugees are welcomed, supported, and given the chance to contribute.<\/p>\n
Canada gave me that chance. In return, I am committed to helping make Canada even stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014 Ebrahim Al-Yousefi, Yemen<\/p>\n
As we head to World Refugee Day on June 20, we are reminded of something important:<\/p>\n
Canada is strongest when we are open, inclusive and welcoming.<\/p>\n
World Refugee Day is a time to focus on the facts.<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc49 Read the report: Refugees are good for Canada<\/a><\/p>\n Refugees strengthen Canada \u2014 economically, socially and culturally.<\/p>\n They contribute, not take away.<\/p>\n They are part of Canada\u2019s success.<\/p>\n Across British Columbia and Canada, refugees:<\/p>\n \tStart businesses and create jobs<\/p>\n \tWork in healthcare, education and skilled trades<\/p>\n \tBring new ideas, languages and cultures<\/p>\n \tSupport others as mentors, leaders and volunteers.<\/p>\n At a time when migration is often debated, it is important to stay grounded in evidence.<\/p>\n The report shows that refugees:<\/p>\n \tContribute to economic growth over time<\/p>\n \tFill labour shortages in key sectors<\/p>\n \tStrengthen communities through participation and leadership.<\/p>\n One inspiring example is Alphonso Davies<\/a>. Born to Liberian refugee parents in a refugee camp in Ghana, he arrived in Canada at the age of five. Today, he is one of the world\u2019s most recognized soccer players and captain of Canada\u2019s men\u2019s national team.<\/p>\n His story reflects the potential that newcomers and refugees bring to our country when given the opportunity to thrive.<\/p>\n Behind the data are people whose contributions are helping strengthen communities across Canada.<\/p>\n Real Stories. Real Impact.<\/p>\n Across Canada, refugees are building new lives \u2014 and contributing in meaningful ways:<\/p>\n Abdullah Abunafeesa (Sudan)<\/a> Hamoudi Saleh Baratta (Syria) Rasha Youssef (Syria) Ebrahim Al-Yousefi (Yemen)<\/a> Dacious Richardson (Liberia)<\/a> Oliver Kabalisa (Libya)<\/a> These are not rare stories. They show what happens when people are given the chance to succeed.<\/p>\n Refugees are not a short-term cost \u2014 they are a long-term investment in Canada\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Welcome Matters<\/p>\n The FIFA World Cup is a global event that brings people together.<\/p>\n As Vancouver prepares to host the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 and welcome people from all over the world, we are reminded of something important:<\/p>\n Welcoming people is not new. It is part of who we are.<\/p>\n The same spirit we show to visitors should guide how we welcome refugees \u2014 people who come to build their lives here.<\/p>\n 10 Years of Welcome and Community<\/p>\n This year, ISSofBC reflects on:<\/p>\n 10 years since Operation Syria<\/a><\/p>\n We thank all current and former staff who worked on the Syrian resettlement project from 2015 to 2017.<\/p>\n 10 years since we opened the ISSofBC Welcome Centre<\/a><\/p>\n An all-in-one newcomer service hub and a world-first model studied by more than 37 countries.<\/p>\n These milestones show what is possible when communities come together with compassion and coordination.<\/p>\n Take Action<\/p>\n You can help build a stronger, more inclusive Canada:<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Learn and share the facts about refugees<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Donate <\/a>to refugee programming or become a volunteer<\/a> through ISSofBC<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Send a message to your MP<\/a> or sign the Canadian Council for Refugees <\/a>petition to the Prime Minister<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc49 Welcome newcomers in your community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cWe don\u2019t come to Canada simply looking for a safe harbour. We come ready to build, to serve,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":82703,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[17,4358,896,32431],"class_list":["post-82702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-canada","tag-canada","tag-immigration","tag-refugees","tag-unhcr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82702"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82702\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Now an ISSofBC Board member and a lawyer \u2014 providing leadership and expertise.<\/p>\n
Arrived during Operation Syria. Today, he works as a software engineer after studying in Canada.<\/p>\n
Former Syrian refugee and now a small business owner on Granville Island \u2014 contributing to the local economy and culture.<\/p>\n
Giving back through technical skills and advancing his education with major scholarships.<\/p>\n
Through RARE, he supports youth through sport, mentorship and leadership development. To him, soccer is everything.<\/p>\n
Studying biomedical engineering to improve patient care through innovation.<\/p>\n