Lebanese political dignitaries were in Victoria on Sunday to mark an inaugural celebration of the Lebanese-Canadian presence in British Columbia.
Flowers dotted the feet of Victoria’s Lebanese Emigrant Statue near the Belleville ferry terminal as Lebanese Canadians commemorated the diaspora’s 136 years of history in the province.
Diplomatic staff from Argentina and Colombia were present for the occasion, as well as a contingent of Lebanese Canadians from Vancouver.
Nick Kahwaji, the honorary consul for Lebanon in B.C., said he hopes to continue hosting International Day of the Lebanese Emigrant celebrations in Victoria. “Every year, we will come to remember our people who are not with us.”
While the Lower Mainland has the largest concentration of Lebanese Canadians in the province, Victoria and Vancouver Island hold a significant place in the diaspora’s history in Canada.
In 1888, brothers Abraham and Farris Ray were the first to arrive in Western Canada from what is now known as Lebanon. Like many early settlers from the region, the Rays worked as itinerant peddlers in Victoria. Many would also work in Vancouver Island’s forestry industry.
The Lebanese community in Canada numbers between 200,000 to 400,000 and is one of the largest Arab-Canadian populations in the country, according to Global Affairs Canada.
The crowd at Lebanese Emigration Plaza on Sunday included many who came to Canada around the time of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-90), as well as a fourth-generation Lebanese Canadian whose family immigrated during the time of the Ottoman Empire and someone who has been here for only a year.
A gift from the Lebanese-Canadian community to the City of Victoria, the plaza in Centennial Park was completed last September. It’s now the permanent home of the Lebanese Emigrant Statue that once stood near Douglas and Fisgard streets.
Similar statues can be found around the world in cities with a significant connection to the Lebanese diaspora, including Halifax, Mexico City and Brisbane.
