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
In our city’s history, immigrants have always played an important role. They build our economic prosperity, diversify our culture, contribute to our social vitality.

Jim Watson
Mayor of Ottawa
Canada has been shaped by people who came from all over the world to build this country. WOW offers a platform for us to celebrate this history and the future it will help…

Alex Munter, Chair of the OLIP Council and President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre
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 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
I’m really impressed with the level of energy and commitment around the Health and Wellbeing table and look forward to continuing collaboration between OLIP and OPH.

Marcela Tapia
Ottawa Public Health
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
The City of Ottawa will continue to play a lead role in the implementation of the Ottawa Immigration Strategy, just as we did in the founding of OLIP.

Steve Desroches
City Councillor and Deputy Mayor 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
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

2015 WOW Ambassadors

Every year, OLIP recognizes individuals who have made a significant impact in the integration of newcomers in Ottawa. A photo and story exhibition of the selected Ambassadors and their Nominators called “Faces and Stories of a Welcoming City” will be displayed June 22-28, 2015. Deadline for nominations is Friday, May 29, 2015 at 5:00 PM. To submit a nomination please click here.

Read the five  qualities of a welcoming Ambassador drawn from the nomination stories.

Attention: Ottawa’s foreign-born residents

*Please Note: Nominations for the 2015 WOW Ambassadors are now closed. You’re invited to nominate someone who made a difference in your journey to a new life, someone who went the extra mile to help you adjust to Ottawa, and whose actions left an impression.

Here’s how it works:

1. Think about someone you feel deserves recognition for helping you feel at home in Ottawa.

2. Fill out this simple form. It asks you for your name, the name of the person you are nominating, contact information for both of you and a short description (no more than 200 words) of how he or she made you feel welcome in Ottawa.

3. Submit the form online no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2015.

4. The WOW Organizing Committee will choose several submissions to reflect a cross-section of nominations from across Ottawa’s diversity. Organizers will contact you and your nominee the week of June 1.

5. If you and your nominee are selected, you will need to be available for a photo shoot on the weekend of June 6. We will inform you of the exact date, time and location when we contact you about the selection. Because of the complicated logistics of arranging the photo shoot, if you or your nominee cannot attend on the appointed day, we reserve the right to select another pair of Ambassadors to be part of the project.

6. By submitting a nomination, you agree to make your nomination public. We’ll post some nominations on Facebook and Twitter and will share the stories of successful nominees as part of the exhibition.

7. The photo exhibition to be displayed during Welcoming Ottawa Week, June 22-28 and may also be used in the promotion and media coverage of WOW. WOW Ambassadors will be recognized during Welcoming Ottawa Week.

8. If you have any questions, please email us at: WOWAmbassadors2015@gmail.com