The Halton Multicultural Council (HMC) held its 6th Annual Awards Gala Night & Fundraising at the Oakville Conference and Banquet Centre in Oakville, Ont., on April 22.
The event, titled Mapping the Immigrant Journey, was a celebration of multiculturalism and diversity showing the commitment made by HMC to provide various programs and services to newcomers, regardless of race or ethnic origin.
The evening included a multicultural fundraising dinner and presentation of the annual Community Leadership Award, the Recognition Award for Youth (R.A.Y.), and a special recognition to past president Trivi Mehendale, who served on the board for over 15 years.
This year for the first time, the Romanian community was invited to showcase its culture and traditions.
At the entrance guests were welcomed with bread and salt, a Romanian custom. The guests also received a small handmade sachet filled with lavender and basil, an integral combination that in Romanian tradition signifies purity, love, happiness, and storytelling.
Recognition and Awards
HMC Connection’s Community Leadership Award is presented in honour of HMC’s founding president Bill Allison, a long-standing community volunteer and founding president of the Oakville Multicultural Council. The award recognizes outstanding achievements of individuals in promoting diversity and civic engagement in Halton.
This year, the award went to Abdullah Hatia for his outstanding leadership on initiating the Halton GAR Alliance, an alliance of multiple religious and social organizations whose purpose is to help Syrian refugees after they arrive in Canada.
The R.A.Y. award was established 10 years ago to honour the lifetime work of the late Sergeant Ray Hendry and recognizes high school students who demonstrate leadership in areas such as human rights, diversity, culture, social justice, community development, anti-discrimination, and equity.
