Public Safety Day & Festival of Guest Nations

WE LIP Success Story | September 2024

On September 15th, 2024, the Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership (WE LIP) proudly collaborated with community partners to celebrate Public Safety Day and the Festival of Guest Nations at Seacliff Park in Leamington. This event brought together migrant workers, community members, service providers, and dignitaries in a vibrant display of cultural exchange, community engagement, and public safety awareness. With more workers, service providers, and food vendors than in any previous year, the event exemplified the growing importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive community for all.

Here are the Highlights of the Event:

Over 900 migrant workers registered for the event in advance through the Migrant Worker Community Program (MWCP). By the end of the event, over 2,000+ workers and additional community members had attended, with many farm representatives also present.

A total of 29 service providers hosted booths, offering essential information and resources ranging from health care and legal assistance to mental health support and immigration services. Their involvement was crucial in ensuring that migrant workers received the support they needed.

Six different performance groups and dance troupes entertained the crowd, celebrating the diverse cultures represented at the festival and contributing to the lively and inclusive atmosphere.

A special ceremony was held to honour long-serving migrant workers, recognizing 45 workers with over 30 years of service. These workers were celebrated on stage and presented with certificates and gifts in recognition of their dedication and contributions to the community.

Dozens of prizes were distributed throughout the day, including bicycles, cycling gear, gift baskets, and backpacks, further adding to the sense of excitement and community engagement.

One of the event’s notable successes was the engagement between Windsor Essex Community Health Centre and local farms, with 11 new farms showing interest in connecting their workers with primary care services, demonstrating the ongoing need for accessible health care in the region.

Public Safety Day and the Festival of Guest Nations 2024 was an overwhelming success, bringing together a record number of attendees, service providers, and community partners in a celebration of culture, safety, and collaboration. Taking place just one day before Mexican Independence Day, this event carried an even deeper sense of pride and unity, aligning with the spirit of celebration. Through the joint efforts of WE LIP, service providers, and community members, this event highlighted the critical importance of supporting migrant workers and fostering an inclusive community where everyone feels valued.

This event would have not been possible without the partnership and participation of the following organizations:

Migrant Worker Community Program (MWCP)
Windsor Essex Community Health Centre (weCHC)
Mobile Medical Support (MMS) Mobile Clinic
Smile Wagon
Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW)
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. (OHCOW)
Ontario Pesticide Education Program (OPEP)
South Essex Community Council (SECC)
Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership/Workforce WindsorEssex (WE LIP/WFWE)
TeaMWork Project/Workforce WindsorEssex (WFWE)
Consulate of Mexico
People Corporation
Consulate of the Philippines
Active Care Response Team (ACRT)
Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare – Withdrawal Management Services (HDGH)
Windsor Essex Regional Community Safety & Well-Being Plan (WERCSWP)
Windsor Essex County Health Unit (WECHU)
Crime Stoppers
New Canadians’ Centre of Excellence Inc. (NCCE)
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
Rapha Christian Centre
Collège Boréal
Ventanilla de Salud (VDS) (Health Window)
Service Ontario (Leamington branch)
Asian Community AIDS Services (ACAS)
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)
Leamington Fire Department
Ria Money Transfer