I was happy to see integration to Algonquin territory and indigenous culture related programming in 2014 WOW. Please continue to involve local Aboriginal organisations and…

Linda Manning
WOW 2014 participant, Senior Fellow, University of Ottawa
OLIP helps to unite and share scarce resources for greater impact by working together in the field of student education.

Walter Piovesan
Associate Director of Education, Ottawa Carleton District School Board
My nomination is an indication that our hard work in building Canada is recognized. All we do is to serve the community in return for embracing us when we needed it.  

Mehdi Mahdavi
Ottawa Immigrant Entrepreneurship Awards Nominee
The OLIP Council is committed to leadership.  In only a few years, we have a common vision and priorities, and are up to the task of implementing the Ottawa Immigration Strategy.

Salimatou Diallo
OLIP Council Vice Chair, Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario
The Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre is so happy to have joined the OLIP Health and Wellbeing Sector Table. It is clear that OLIP cares about immigrants and refugees and…

Wendy Tang, Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre
The work and expertise that OLIP brings to our community is so important as it helps us to build bridges and break down silos.  I look forward to our continued work together. 

Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa
We are very pleased to have done the “Opportunity Cost of Not Investing in Interpretation” report – it is so important to have clarity on these challenges and…

Hindia Mohamoud, Director, OLIP
The WOW seminar on immigrant women’s nutrition and health was a step in the right direction towards closing the gap between academic researchers and service providers.

Josephine Etowa
Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of Ottawa
The target beneficiary of the work of OLIP is the whole community. In this short period we have planted together important seeds for Ottawa’s development.  

Dick Stewart
OLIP Council
All the WOW events that I went to were great – WOW does give a sense of a community trying to improve its attraction and retention!

Caroline Andrew
Professor, University of Ottawa

Bringing the beauty and strength of Canadian multiculturalism to newcomers

June 14, 2018

For the last three years, Mohd Jamal Alsharif has worked with a group of mostly Syrian refugees in Ottawa, trying so hard to make them realize that they are part of the Canadian community and helping them to overcome the cultural differences and challenges they have experienced as newcomers.

As someone who immigrated to Canada many years ago, he can relate to the newcomer’s journey. Through his work with the Humans for Peace Institution, Jamal has helped many families to better understand the Canadian system and how to integrate in their new country.

“I met Jamal a year ago, through a choir formed by the Humans for Peace Institution and World Folk Music Ottawa,” says Yusra Almosuli. “It was extraordinary. It didn’t matter what language you sang in, everyone came together through music and multiculturalism. There were people from Syria, Africa and Asia, Canada and elsewhere, all singing together in one voice.”

Yusra, who came from Iraq a year ago to work as a research associate at the Ottawa Hospital, further explains how many newcomers are confused and not aware of the resources available in their community. “Jamal helps us. I see in him generosity, kindness and the courage to help others. He knows what newcomers have been through, the social issues and the problems. He knows what to do to make things easier, as integration is not always easy.”

Mohd Jamal Alsharif and Yusra Almosuli

“I believe that if we live in a multicultural society, we have the power to bring social and inner peace to the forefront,” says Jamal. “Every human being can be peacemaker. We don’t need to differentiate between gender, culture and language — as we are all essentially one family. Through the Humans of Peace Institution , we bring people together through what can connect us, such as culture, art, music and food.”

Jamal describes how his organization recently hosted a Canadian wide blood donation campaign, where Syrian newcomers from across Canada gave back to the country that had welcomed them. “Through this and many other activities, we aim to engage newcomers within the main stream community, so they can help, give back and volunteer, and feel proud of themselves. When this happens, the newcomers feel like they are part of society. Refugees are not just numbers, they are humans and can do a lot.”

Jamal believes that beyond settlement services, newcomers can be supported in their integration by removing cultural barriers. “The beauty and strength of Canada is our multiculturalism,” adds Jamal. “We succeed when we all see ourselves as an integral part of this diverse and rich community, when we wish to others what we wish for ourselves. “

Jamal is particularly touched by the struggles faced by children and youth from war torn countries like Syria, as many of them have post-traumatic stress disorder when they arrive in Canada. “We want to do everything we can to help these young people to heal,” says Jamal. “Often they don’t want to talk about their struggles, so we provide them with alternative ways to express themselves — through singing, painting and dancing. It is so encouraging when we see their smiles.” “We also work hard to empower newcomer women and try to encourage them to start their new life here in Canada”. He is struck by the power of art to help the children to heal and remembers seeing the graphic paintings children have done depicting their lives during war.

Through the Humans for Peace Institution, a group of refugee children have fundraised and on National Indigenous Day (June 21), as part of Welcoming Ottawa Week 2018, they will present a cheque to the Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre.