2018 Welcoming Ottawa Ambassadors
Introduced as part of Welcoming Ottawa Week in 2014, the Welcoming Ambassador awards recognize Ottawa citizens who go out of their way to support newcomers in their daily efforts to make this city their new home.
Welcoming Ambassadors are individuals who, in interacting with immigrants or refugees, have demonstrated the human qualities of openness, positive curiosity, and the friendships and connections across differences that can be so enriching but difficult to realize in their busy lives.
These are the stories of the 2018 Welcoming Ottawa Ambassador recipients:
Robert Sampson – The “Bobby Effect”
Cheralyn Post – Finding a family away from home
Farhad Derakhshan – Helping a newcomer from A to Z
Ama Ouattara – Everyone should find an “Ama”
Jean Roberth Souza – The power of social media to connect newcomers
Justine Nkurunziza – Connecting Burundian Newcomers through Whats App
Kelly McGahey – Welcoming Workplaces
Leocadie Kabogoye – Finding the right person to guide you on the long journey towards integration
Hanan Abu-Laban – An angel of welcome
Mohamed Jamal Alsharif – Bringing the beauty and strength of Canadian multiculturalism to newcomers
Clare Glassco – The kindness and generosity of strangers