The Chatham-Kent Local Immigration Partnership is celebrating Chatham-Kent Welcome Week 2026, running from Sept. 9 to 20.
The week is highlighting Chatham-Kent’s cultural diversity, celebrating the contributions of newcomers and immigrants in the community, and showcasing why Chatham-Kent was designated as Canada’s first welcoming community.
“CK Welcome Week is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity that strengthens Chatham-Kent and to recognize the many individuals and organizations working together to foster belonging for newcomers,” said Naty Ramirez Reyes, CK LIP council co-chair and executive lead, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism, at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. “Creating a welcoming community helps ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive and feel connected.”
The week kicked off with a flag-raising ceremony at the Civic Centre on Thursday, Sept. 9. Events have continued throughout the week, connecting newcomers with services across Chatham-Kent while fostering diversity, inclusion and belonging.
The public is invited to the closing event, CK Welcomes: A Community Showcase, on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. in Kingston Park.
“CK Welcomes: A Community Showcase is an event that showcases and celebrates the diversity in our community,” said Christine Long, project co-ordinator for CK LIP. “The afternoon features local organizations, cultural performances, and opportunities to get involved in Chatham-Kent. It highlights what makes Chatham-Kent a great place to call home. Thank you to all partners and community members for continuing to support a successful CK Welcome Week.”
A complete schedule of CK Welcome Week events is available on the municipality’s website. Community members are encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the hashtags #CKWelcomeWeek and #CKWelcomeWeek2026.
The Chatham-Kent Local Immigration Partnership is a network of more than 40 local and regional organizations that work collaboratively to develop and support the implementation of local settlement strategies. Members form a Partnership Council that works toward coordinated and strategic approaches to integration that fit the needs of Chatham-Kent’s recent immigrants, employers and service providers. The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is the grant agreement holder for the partnership, which is funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
