Multicultural Roundtable

Like Canada as a whole, Kingston has deep multicultural roots. From its origins as part of the Mississauga First Nations territory of Kateracoui (Cataraqui) and later a French fort and a British settlement, the city has been shaped by successive waves of immigration from across the globe. Individuals from diverse communities have made ongoing contributions to Kingston’s social, economic and cultural prosperity. Today, 14% of Kingston’s population was born outside of Canada, and a similar percentage have at least one parent who immigrated to Canada.

A multicultural community, however, is more than just numbers. Mere co-existence is not enough: we need to be able to come together in a safe environment, learn more about and celebrate our differences, and reaffirm our similarities. The mandate of the Kingston Multicultural Roundtable, therefore, is simple: To bring together ethno-cultural associations and interested community members with the aim of making Kingston a more diverse and welcoming community.

The Kingston Multicultural Roundtable originated from a collaborative project between several local ethno-cultural associations, Immigrant Services Kingston and Area (ISKA), and the Kingston Immigration Partnership (KIP), who together successfully organized the Kingston Multicultural Arts Festival in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Ongoing conversations between these partners lead to the idea of creating a permanent Multicultural Roundtable for organizing future events and strengthening ties between ethno-cultural associations and the Kingston community.

The following organizations have been recognized for their roles as founding members of the Roundtable:

If you represent a local ethno-cultural community and would like join the Roundtable, please contact us!