Syrian refugees will see free arts, cultural events in Canada Council initiative

Syrian refugees arriving in Canada will be treated toa taste of Canadian culture watching a stage play, taking in a concert or visiting an art exhibit, for instance through a new initiative spearheaded by the Canada Council of the Arts.

The national arts body and Sun Life Financial have teamed up to createa program to provide refugees free access to a performance, exhibition or arts event in their new communities.

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The Canada Council will provide $150,000 to the newprogram in2016-2017, while Sun Life will provide $50,000.

"It's a modest piece of much broader collective and national efforts," Canada Council CEO SimonBraultsaid Friday,announcing the initiativeatThtred'aujourd'huiin Montrealat an event also attended by Canadian Heritage MinisterMlanieJoly.

We welcome you to our spaces, performances and eventswhen you are ready,- Canada Council CEO Simon Brault

"The message is: 'Welcome. We welcome you to our spaces, performances and eventswhen you are ready.'"

"We made avery rough calculation that we could have, with $200,000,roughly 8,000refugeesattending one event during the year," said Brault.

"[It's]significant enough to open the door," he said, adding some organizations had already started thinking about ways to help Syrian refugees explore Canadian culture, and this initiative will encourage others to do so."

"We want to be a partner," Brault said.

The program is slated to begin in April 2016.

Charter of rights in Arabic

Further details will be revealed in March, allowingnewcomers from Syria a few monthsto adjust to life in Canada. The window willalso givearts organizationsinterested in participating in the program timeto get involved.

"We want to make sure that in general, refugees understand the importance of arts, the Canadian values and, more than that, the culture they will be living in for the rest of their lives, we hope," saidJoly.

Joly said her ministry isgiving each arrivingfamilya welcome kitwithCanadian children's books and short films from the National Film Board, as well as copiesof the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in French, English and Arabic.

She saidCanadian publishers have donated thousands of books nominated for theGovernor General Literary Awardsbooks over thepast several years to be included inthose welcome kits.

Joly is MP for the riding of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, the riding which has received the greatest number ofSyrian refugee families to datein Canada.She saidshe can see theirevolution especially the changes in the childrensince the summer.

"It's touching to see the openness on the part of the refugees to get to know the culture and to find their anchors in Canada," Joly said."I think that these kits and this mobilization will be very well received."