Every year, Canadians of Arab descent celebrate their rich Arab heritage, where they celebrate their heritage in April of each year since last year, after the House of Commons unanimously approved Bill C-232.

The bill is still under study in the Senate, where it reached the second reading stage in June 2023.

While waiting for its approval, some members of the community organized an event last week in the city of Mississauga in Ontario to celebrate this month.

The Arab community in Canada is following in the footsteps of its counterpart in the United States, which celebrates Arab heritage this month informally rather than officially.

In Canada, Bill C-232 was introduced in February 2022 by liberal federal MP David McGuinty, representing the Ottawa South riding.

Ranya Hamdan, president of the Canadian Arab National Council, states that this celebration is important.

Since I arrived in Canada as a child in 1986, this is the first time in nearly 40 years that I feel Canada sees me and recognizes my Arab identity.

She adds that this goes beyond her national identity, as she is of Lebanese origin. She explains that she long felt embarrassed about her Arab identity, "especially when this identity is associated with terrorism, for example."

She states, "Arabs are not how they are portrayed by the media or cinema."

The Mississauga event was organized by the Canadian Arab National Council. It took place at one of the city's restaurants with the presence of the Palestinian Ambassador to Canada, Mona Abu Amra.

"We wanted to celebrate Arab Heritage Month in light of Palestinian history and heritage because of what is happening there," Mrs. Hamdan explained.

The event included musical performances alongside an exhibition of paintings by Montreal-based artist Bahia Kiard.

In Calgary, Alberta, a Saturday event was organized at the city's central library by the Calgary Arab Arts and Culture Association. It featured music, dance, and visual arts.

It is noteworthy that the first Arab immigrant to Canada was Ibrahim Abu Nader, a Lebanese from the town of Zahle, who arrived in 1882 and settled in Montreal.

According to the Canadian Arab Institute based in Toronto, nearly 900,000 Canadians are of Arab descent.

27% were born in Canada. 30% arrived in the last ten years. 62% have post-secondary education.

In 2024, the Arab community in Canada faces some challenges, as Ranya Hamdan explained.

"Many people suffer from racism due to their support for Palestine or discussing it on social media."