Durham Reporter

Durham residents of all backgrounds are invited to join the City of Durham in celebrating Welcoming Week 2023 from September 8 through 17.

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign led by Welcoming America to showcase communities striving to become welcoming places for all, including immigrants and refugees. As a part of this effort, the City of Durham Neighborhood Improvement Services Department is hosting a series of free events for residents to celebrate the diversity of our neighbors and affirm the importance of inclusive places in Durham.

“Being welcoming is so much more than showing kindness, it’s about creating policies and practices that allow everyone to feel welcome so they can fully benefit from our city programs and services. Welcoming Week helps us move the needle towards that,” said Community Engagement Strategist Jennie Belle. “This year, we’re celebrating our community’s diversity through art, food, music, and sports, as we engage our residents in meaningful conversations about equity.”

The kickoff event will be a presentation of a proclamation affirming the City's commitment to inclusion at the City Council’s regular business meeting on September 5. Residents who have been part of the City's welcoming work will be recognized, and a quilt created by immigrant women living in Durham will hang in the lobby of City Hall throughout the week.

Welcoming Week Event Schedule

• Tuesday, September 5, at 7 p.m.: Proclamation at the City Council Meeting
• Friday, September 8, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: An Artistic Cultural Fair at Iglesia La Semilla UMC
• Monday, September 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Immigrant/Refugee Career & Resource Fair at Lyon Park Community Center (Registration Required)
• Wednesday, September 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Neighbors & Flavors at The Durham Exchange (Registration Required)
• Thursday, September 14, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.: Our Story: A Panel Discussion at Durham Bottling Company (Registration Required)
• Sunday, September 17, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.: International Soccer Game at Merrick Moore Park (Registration Required)

For more information or to RSVP for each of these events, visit Durham’s Welcoming Week 2023 webpage or contact Jennie Belle with the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Services Department by email or by calling 919-717-4519.

About the Neighborhood Improvement Services Department

The Neighborhood Improvement Services Department works to preserve and improve quality of life conditions for Durham residents and to encourage active participation in neighborhood redevelopment and public policy and decision-making dialogue.

Original source can be found here.