On World Refugee Day (June 20, 2022), come celebrate 30+ years of refugee settlement with St. Joseph's Parish and their Refugee Outreach Committee (ROC). 

Location: Outdoors on the Tabaret Lawn (550 Cumberland Street, Ottawa)
Time: 2-4pm

Advocates from community and faith groups have long played an important role in pressing the Canadian government to adopt more liberal refugee policies. Over the years, these groups have been driving forces in offering protection for those seeking refuge, particularly from Southeast Asia in the late 1970s and from Syrian beginning in 2015. The experiences learned over the years are of great significance at this moment, as Canada continues to receive thousands of refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan.

St. Joseph's Refugee Outreach Committee (the ROC) is one of Ottawa's longest-serving, volunteer-run refugee outreach groups. Since 1990, this group of dedicated volunteers has helped to welcome and support hundreds of newcomers and refugees in the city.

This event will honour the ROC's impressive 30+ years of history, and prompt a larger conversation about how we can all get involved in welcoming refugees in pressing and meaningful ways today. It will also mark the launch of the book Ordinary People, Extraordinary Actions, which relates stories about how "ordinary people" in Ottawa, and particularly at St. Joseph's Parish, have taken small and big steps to welcome people seeking refuge into their communities (see publishing details).
 
Formalities will run from approximately 2:30-3pm. This event will include brief remarks from:
• Jim Watson, Mayor of Ottawa
• Jacques Frémont, President of the University of Ottawa
• Louisa Taylor, Director of Refugee613
• Long-serving members of the ROC
• Past newcomers with a connection to the ROC
• The authors of the book Ordinary People, Extraordinary Actions: Refuge Through Activism at Ottawa's St. Joe's Parish

All are invited! Come learn about Ottawa's rich refugee history and about how to get involved.

For any questions concerning this event, please email patti.lenard@uottawa.ca.