New refugees meet members of Winnipeg Syrian community at holiday event

Winnipeg's Syrian community hosted a welcoming party forrefugees Sunday night.

"We wanted them to feel welcomed here and to introduce them to their community, [so they] know where to go if they need any help or support," said TarekHabash, an organizer with the event."It's a new country, it's a new language ... they were scared of this step that they've just [taken]."

The dinner, put on by the Syrian Assembly of Manitoba, was designed to givenewly-landed refugees a chance to meet and mingle with members of theSyrian community who've already been established in the city for some time, Habash said.

"We just try to make them feel comfortable,"Habashsaid."It's an opportunity for them tosocializeand talk to people from their own cultureand just give them a chance to ease their hardship."

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Eighteen families were named guests of honour, including theAlbakars.

YaserAlbakarand his family received a warmwelcome from Manitoba Premier GregSelingerlast week at Welcome Place.

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Habash said he's received a lot of positive feedback and that the event was a success.

"We're trying to fill this gap and try to help as much as we can for these people to feel that they are in a safe place now, with people [who] care about them and that people are ready to help and support them."

About 90 people from new families and 100 from the established Syrian community attended the event, Habash said.