Purpose: Sherbrooke's Intercultural Encounters Week is a unique opportunity to promote dialogue and intercultural rapprochement among Sherbrooke residents of all backgrounds.
Structure: In 2014, about ten organisations in Sherbrooke, in partnership with the City of Sherbrooke, decided to create their own Intercultural Encounters Week to run parallel to the provincial week of the same name. This desire stemmed from the organisations' wish to have a week that reflected their image and was more representative of the area and its population, as well as fostering cohesion between the partners and the municipal organisation.
Process: The Sherbrooke Week of Intercultural Encounters (SSRI), which evolved from the Quebec Week of Intercultural Encounters, is an initiative of the City of Sherbrooke, the only city in Quebec to have its own week of intercultural encounters.
The SSRI is funded by an agreement between the City of Sherbrooke and the Ministry of Immigration, Francophonie and Integration.
The entire organisation of this week is managed by the city, within an organising committee made up of community stakeholders, which allows for territorial representation of the activities. Throughout the week, local organisations will be organising intercultural activities for all communities, activities for young and old, and activities for all tastes!
The SSRI will celebrate its tenth edition in 2023 and this year's theme is "All the diversity of the world in one city, that's Sherbrooke". Each year, a target population is highlighted to showcase those who are sometimes overlooked, such as young people or the elderly. This year, the focus is on immigrant restaurateurs.
A programme will be developed with all the activities listed by the organisations. A publicity campaign is carried out before and during the week so that the entire population of Sherbrooke can participate. Each day has a different theme: children, entrepreneurs, art, etc. The City ensures that all these activities take place throughout the territory.
Impact: The SSRI has a real impact on the Sherbrooke community, both on individuals and on the organisations that host the activities. Since the first edition, the number of partners has increased every year and the activities have become more and more varied. Citizens are more and more involved in the activities and there is a sense of belonging. The rapprochement is real.
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