احتفال تأسيس مركز الجالية السورية في كندا

The Birth of The Syrian Community Centre Celebration

October 12, 2003

Click to see Snapshots of our Guest Speakers (photos)

Speakers

للاطلاع على الاحتفال باللغة العربية

The Syrian Community Centre of Canada held a formal dinner banquet event to introduce and celebrate the birth of the centre. 

Mr. yaser Kherdaji, the Honourary Consul General of Syria and the president of the Syrian Community Centre of Canada opened the event and delivered a speech and announced the official birth of the Syrian Community Centre of Canada, the event was a landmark of hope for the Syrian community, their children, and for generations to come.  The Event was a tribute to Syrians who have been contributing to the Canadian cultural landscape since the eighteen hundreds.  They worked in the coalmines of; they labored alongside other nationalities in the construction of the Canadian Railroad; they fought and preserved international peace in major regional conflicts, while representing the Canadian flag.  

Mr. Kherdaji said that the Syrian Canadians developed businesses; participated in research and development; imparted knowledge in the lecture halls and laboratories of Canadian academic institutions at all levels.  and that Above all, Syrian Canadians contributed to the Canadian cultural mosaic, with their history, their ancient heritage, culture, their wisdom and knowledge.

Mr. Kherdaji emphasized that there is no other country like Canada, a country that has opened its gates, heart and soul to peoples from all around the globe, and that Canada is a country which identifies, respects and nourishes the beauty and the diversity of all cultures, histories, languages and beliefs, and that such a uniquely warm welcoming attitude has made us feel at home again.

Mr. Kherdaji said that the Community Centre journey's has long since begun, and it will continue in this great new home of ours, and that a new chapter begins in the history of the Syrian community’s future.

This gathering, earmarks a milestone in the evolution of Syrian Community, happily coincides with this unique and significant thanksgiving holiday and that we are truly blessed to enjoy peaceful coexistence in harmony alongside others, and at the same time, being able to preserve the beauty of our heritage and ethnicity.  

The Key Note Speaker for the event was The Honorable Lincoln Alexander former lieutenant Governor of Ontario, other speaker, the Honorable Carl DeFaria, Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Ahmad Arnous, The Syrian Ambassador in Ottawa, Mr. Sarkis Assadourian (Syrian) MP, The parliamentary Assistance to the Minister of Immigration, Mr. Bob Delaney, MP Mississauga west, Mr. Habib Salloum, write and historian. Mr. David Beer, GTA Superintended (RCMP). 

Attended the event representatives of the parliament from both levels and representatives from all levels of government, members of the Consular Corp, leaders of the Arab and other ethnic groups. Copl. Rick Moss, Liaison officer. Attendants  exceeded 500 guests. 

Syrian food was served and light entertainment by Mazen Alsawaf and Tony Jalbot, raffles sold for over 40 valuable prizes, main prizes were two tickets to Syria and Lebanon.

Event Details

Written Speeches
 Mr. Yaser Kherdaji, President,  Syrian Community Centre of Canada 
Mr. Habeeb Salloum, Honorary Member

Other speeches by:
 Sarkis Assadourian, Parliamentary Assistance to  the Minister of Immigration
 Mr. Bob Delaney, MPP Mississauga west 
 Mr. Carl DeFaria, Minister of Citizenship
 Superintendent David Beer, GTA Commander RCMP
 Honorable Lincoln Alexander, Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario 
 His Excellency Mr. Ahmad Arnous, Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic

Event MC's 
   Ms. Lina Zakaria, Director, Syrian Community Centre of Canada 
   Mr. Danny Njmeh, Event Community Leader,  Syrian Community Centre of Canada 

Special Guests

The Hon. Lincoln Alexander, Former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

Honourable Carl De Faria,  Minister of Citizenship

His Excellency Mr. & Mrs. Ahmad Arnous, H. E. Ambassador of Syria

Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis Assadourian, Parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Immigration

Mr. & Mrs. Supt. David Beer, CTA Commander Superintendent (RCMP)

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Valentine, Director World Trade Centre

Mr. & Mrs Aladin Wahba, Ontario Export Inc.International Capital Projects

Cpl. Rick Moss, Diversity Liaison Officer (RCMP)

Mr. Bassam Darwesh, Syrian Embassy

Mr. & Mrs. Imad Al-Ahmar, Syrian Embassy

Mr. Bob Delaney, MPP Mississauga West

Consul Generals

Mr. Mrs. Pierre RIEM, Dean of the Consular Corp & Consul general of Switzerland

Mr. Hugues GOISBAUL & Guest, Consul general of France

Dr. Ihor LOSSOVSKYI, Consul general of Ukraine

Representative for Consul General of Russia

Representative for Consul General of Malaysia

Mr. Mrs. Milo VASSALLO, Consul general of Malta

Mr. & Mrs. Nazem El KADRI, Honorary Consul general of Lebanon  

Consulate general of Russia

Consulate General of Malaysia

Other special guests

Mr. Stephen Boujikian, Settlement counselor Immigration. Canada

Father George Ayoub, Mar Elias Church

Ms. Barbara Hall

Mr. John Nunzizta  

Mr. John Jehshan

Major General Bruce Legge

Mrs. Laura Legge (Legge & Legge our Lawyer)

Ethnic Organizations

Mr. & Mrs. Mobeen Khaja, President Ass. of Progressive Muslims of Canada (Sponsored a table)

Ms. Andrea Ramwa, Executive Director Inter Culture Neighborhood Social Services

Arab Organizations Supported by purchasing a table

Mr. & Mrs. Raja Khouri, President Canadian Arab Federation

Mr. & Mrs. Fares Badr, Vice president, Canadian Arab Federation

Mr. & Mrs El-Farnawani, President Nile Association

Mr. & Mrs. Hussein Abdulrahim, Representing Arab Community Centre

Dr. & Mrs. A. F. El-Zawi, President National Arab American Medical Ass. & Arab Community Centre

Mr. & Mrs. Elias Hazineh, President Palestine House

Mr. Khaled Houmaidan,  President Arab Heritage Centre

Dr. & Mrs. Mohamed Attalla, Ass. of Canadian Arab Professional Engineers

Mr. Mr. Chris Fansabedian, Representing The Armenian Centre, At Progress Ave

Other Arab Organizations

Mr. & Mrs. Waled Al Aawar, Druz House

Mr. & Mrs. Yusef Marowa, World Union of Writers in Arabic

Mr. Adnan Nouredden, Al-Huda Lebanese Islamic Centre

Mr. Waled Al-Doury, Iraqi Community

Mr. Ahmad Mourad The Syrian Arab Association of Canada

Mr. Samer Mardini The Syrian Arab Association of Canada

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Asaad, Our national membership director

Sponsors, supported our event financially

Ms. Amal Zaki & Guest, Representing Baldwin Travel ( Donated a Ticket to Syria)

Lili Abcullah, Representing Sunrise Travel (Donated a Ticket to Lebanon)

Iman Fakhouri, Sunrise Travel

Western Union

Rawas Gift and China

Vincent Ashkar

May Homsi, ReMax

Hanna Khoulani, Remax

Haytham Kholani, Berg Electric

Mr. Yousif Yehya , Almarwa Markets

Mr. & Mrs Fouad Akleh, Alquods Markets

PSIC, Mr. Mohamed Hamcho

Other Sponsors

Khaled Houmaidan, Consulting Media Centre, Add design

T.V

Omni T.V

Monawaat Arabia

Arab Newspapers

Mr. & Mrs. Saadeh Sudah Almashrek

Mr. & Mrs. Issam Al-Sheraida, Al Moghtarib

Khaled Houmaidan, Almostakbal

Many thank to all other sponsors (donated voluble gifts)

Very special thanks to all volunteers for their hard work and commitment.

Reference to any products or services and the inclusion of links is for information only and does not imply endorsement, recommendation or favoring by The Syrian Community Centre of Canada and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. Please note that most links are not available in both official languages

SCCC believe in giving everyone the chance to contribute to their community.  If you are interested in donating or/and volunteering through any of our initiatives then please click here.