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ICC community citizenship ceremonies are a celebration of Canada’s newest citizens and offer unique opportunities to reflect on what it means to be active, engaged citizens. We were thrilled to work with the Vancouver Art Gallery to welcome 30 new Canadian citizens at our ceremony in Vancouver on October 10, 2018.

Below are a few highlights from the ceremony.

Photo Credit: Institute for Canadian Citizenship/Geoff Howe

This month’s CAP Spotlight focuses on Khalil Zahr, a new Canadian citizen originally from Lebanon (pictured furthest on the left).

“We came to Canada in May 2011 from Lebanon after a long career as an international civil servant working as an advisor with the United Nations. We chose Canada to settle in after retirement, where our children could pursue their tertiary education and build their future in a country that always ranked high on the scale of human development,” says Khalil. “Also, where my wife who is an experienced teacher can pursue her career. As [for] myself, Canada was always ideal home to pursue my dreams.

“I became a Canadian citizen on April 11, 2018. My life has certainly changed [for] the better thanks to the quality of life that Canada offers in its various aspects, particularly [in] the cultural, social and political spheres. I also am enjoying our new friendships that we made since coming to Canada.

“I am a freelance writer and commentator, primarily on energy, environment and socio-economic development. I also enjoy volunteer work. Since 2013, I have been a volunteer advisor on program development with a leading Canadian NGO: Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO).”

Khalil has enjoyed using his Cultural Access Pass in Ontario, as he “enjoy arts and culture and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and AGO” among others cultural attractions. “I took advantage of the many offers made through CAP, particularly the cultural events,” he says, “[Arts and culture] helps us [new Canadians] appreciate our common humanity, and its diverse expressions which is culture.”

“Canadians should know that whether old or new, all of us are one family, and Canada will always be the home for all to live and prosper,” says Kahlil. “The new Canadian citizens are simply new additions to this very special family, and this spacious and beautiful home.”

About CAP: For nearly 10 years, the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) has delivered the Cultural Access Pass (CAP), an innovative, best-in-class program that gives new citizens access to Canadian culture.

Be featured in our newsletter: Tag CAP and use the hashtag #CAPCanada in your social media posts for your chance to be the next CAP member or alumni featured, or send an email to cap@forcitizenship.ca

ICC community citizenship ceremonies are a celebration of Canada’s newest citizens and offer unique opportunities to reflect on what it means to be active, engaged citizens. We were thrilled to work with Via Rail to welcome 40 new Canadian citizens at our ceremony in Ottawa in October 25, 2018.

Below are a few highlights from the ceremony.

Photo Credit: Institute for Canadian Citizenship/Andrea Cardin

I felt the excitement and energy as I entered the room at the citizenship ceremony organized by the ICC on September 24, 2018, at TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning. The seats slowly filled up around the round tables as the time approached for the event’s opening remarks. I walked to my table feeling nervous and excited at the same time. As an immigrant who received citizenship ten years ago, I remembered the feeling of finally becoming a Canadian citizen. A momentous milestone they are about to receive and experience.

Every year, thousands of individuals receive their Canadian citizenship. Roughly 3,000 citizenship ceremonies are held each year to welcome these new Canadians. The Institute for Canadian Citizenship organizes 75 of these ceremonies. A key component of an ICC citizenship ceremony are roundtable discussions, which are held before the official ceremony. During these roundtable discussions, new citizens and their guests have the chance to reflect on their journey and their aspirations, and on the meaning of active citizenship.

My role as an ICC Fellow was to host one of the roundtable discussions with soon-to-be citizens that sat at my appointed table. Together with my co–table host, a fellow Canadian citizen, we facilitated discussions on the participants’ journey to Canada, what it means to be Canadian, and how to become active citizens of Canada. After hearing their heartfelt stories, I reflected on how powerful citizenship can be.

We talked and shared our individual life journeys to Canada. To some people, being in Canada is a way out from violence. To some, it is a chance to start over again. To some, it’s a door for a better future for their kids. We talked about things they liked about living in Canada for the past few years before arriving to this citizenship ceremony day. Hearing different perspectives about the opportunities Canada offered to them made me realize how powerful Canadian citizenship is and how much it can play a big role in navigating their life in Canada.

When asked about how they can give back to Canada and how to become active citizens, a lot of folks talked about how ecstatic they were to be able to vote after they receive citizenship. Volunteering in their communities was listed as another way of giving back.

After reflecting on this experience, I realized that sometimes I’ve taken being Canadian and the opportunities that come along with it for granted. This also made me realize what a privilege it is to live in and be a citizen of Canada. It is a country described by many people as safe and a land full of possibilities.

It was such an honour to be part of this citizenship ceremony. It not only reminded me of my own citizenship journey, but also taught me to not take my citizenship for granted. Being a roundtable host during this ceremony reminded me of how fortunate it is to live in a country that welcomes newcomers and continues to build communities that are unique and inclusive.

These participants’ journeys to becoming a citizen definitely touched my heart and created a spark in me to continue to actively practice being a Canadian citizen.

April Alayon is a 2018–2019 ICC Fellow. For more information on the ICC Fellowship, visit https://forcitizenship.ca/icc-fellowship.

Photo: Institute for Canadian Citizenship / Alyssa Faoro

By April Alayon

I first visited Canada in 1984 during my graduate studies on Canadian literature and spent some time with Margaret Atwood at her home in Toronto. I returned the following two summers when I eventually met my husband and returned to Berlin married. I immigrated in 1987, had two daughters and worked various jobs until I settled on a career in the utility sector, which I retired from after 22 years in 2016.

I became a Canadian citizen this April after having lived here for 32 years. I waited this long because Germany usually does not accept dual citizenship and I wanted to keep my EU passport so my children can have both for life. I recently found out that acquiring an exception from Germany was becoming easier and could be achieved without a lawyer so I finally finished the paperwork. I find crossing the border to be much easier with a Canadian passport!

I have a lot of hobbies like cross stitching, knitting, crocheting, beadwork, reading, scrap booking, etc. My husband and I love traveling so we spend a lot of time exploring this country and the rest of the world.

I think the CAP [card] is a fantastic idea. We have been to several concerts with our free tickets from CAP and went to Banff National Park. I plan to visit the Bell Music Centre, TELUS Spark and Fort Calgary in the near future. I love art and museums: they teach about the diversity of our cultures and the history that formed this country. They also provide a chance to learn from past mistakes and ensure that Indigenous culture survives. I look forward to many more travels and would love to explore the eastern provinces some more.

The ICC Fellowship provides the opportunity for young leaders from around the world to make a change in their own community through the creation and implementation of projects on inclusion and citizenship. This year’s fellowship launched with the Digital Citizens: 2018 ICC Fellowship Workshop, which took place on September 24, 2018, at Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance & Learning.

Photo Credit: Institute for Canadian Citizenship/ Alyssa Faoro

The Institute of Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is pleased to introduce the 10 individuals selected to take part in the 2018 ICC Fellowship.

The ICC Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for young leaders from around the world to develop and implement local projects on citizenship and inclusion. Over the past three years, the ICC has welcomed 32 fellows from 13 different countries into the program, previously known as the 6 Degrees Junior Fellowship.

“The quality of applications we received was amazing,” said Scott Young, Director of the ICC’s Ideas & Insights program. “Each 2018 ICC Fellow was chosen because of their commitment to advancing the work of citizenship and inclusion. Each of their projects fosters citizenship and inclusion through technology, and many of them will have positive implications for how we think about the ways in which citizenship and technology interact. We’re very excited to support the fellows in their work.”

Applicants to this year’s ICC Fellowship were asked to address the following questions: What is the impact of technology on the ideas and practices surrounding citizenship and belonging? How has technology changed what it means to be a citizen? Has technology been a force for or against active citizenship? Are there ways we can better employ and harness technology to promote more inclusive societies?

The ICC Fellows will kick off their fellowship by attending 6 Degrees Toronto, from September 24 to September 26, where they will be connect with leaders from all walks of life who will help them refine and workshop their project concepts. The fellows will also participate in wide-ranging and engaging dialogues that will inform their thinking on issues related to citizenship and technology. Following 6 Degrees Toronto, they will return to their communities to launch their projects.

You can learn more about the ICC Fellowship here and read about this year’s ICC Fellows and their projects below.

Thank you to Victoria Nunes and the Lions Group for supporting the 2018 ICC Fellowship as its Presenting Partner.

2018 ICC Fellows

Seyi Akiwowo
Age: 26
Country of birth: United Kingdom
Current location: London, United Kingdom

Project: An immersive, impactful program that will educate young people on their digital rights and responsibilities, enabling them to be active digital citizens and agents in tackling the rise of hate and abuse online.

April Marie Alayon
Age: 27
Country of birth: Philippines
Current location: Vancouver, Canada

Project: A community hub that will provide the necessary skills, resources, and networks for people of colour who are interested in working in the technology industry.

Eduarda Aun
Age: 26
Country of birth: Brazil
Current location: New York, United States

Project: A digital platform that will use interactive maps to enable citizens to participate in civic events, organize, and reclaim public space in Brazil.

Megan Beretta
Age: 24
Country of birth: Canada
Current location: Ottawa, Canada

Project: A non-partisan, consultative process that will examine digital rights needs of underrepresented communities, and empower these communities to know their rights and bring this conversation into the mainstream.

Yonis Hassan
Age: 23
Country of birth: Canada
Current location: Toronto, Canada

Project: An initiative that will equip diverse youth organizers in the City of Toronto with the digital skills necessary to tackles some of their communities pressing social problems.

Janelle Hinds
Age: 26
Country of birth: Canada
Current location: Mississauga, Canada

Project: A project that will explore how young people get engaged in their communities and, in consultation with these young people, design an online tool to facilitate greater youth engagement.

Hiba Ibrahim
Age: 25
Country of birth: Canada
Current location: Toronto, Canada

Project: A website that will provide Somali refugees and immigrants with accessible information on mental health resources and work to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.

Ruth Mojeed
Age: 29
Country of birth: Nigeria
Current location: Victoria, Canada

Project: A documentary that will bring to life the experiences of women, immigrants, Indigenous peoples, and other minority groups who are working in the tech industry, with a focus on how inclusion in this industry can be achieved.

Samantha Perlman
Age: 23
Country of birth: United States
Current location: Marlborough, United States

Project: A collaborative, community-building program that will use technology to connect students from diverse backgrounds, and foster civic education and political engagement, through peer-to-peer learning.

David Timis
Age: 27
Country of birth: Romania
Current location: Bucharest, Romania

Project: A digital platform that will showcase the stories of diverse, young political activists and provide information and resources to other young people, inspiring them to become active European citizens.