From September 12th to the 21st, the Pembina Valley will take part in a worldwide celebration designed to show kindness — and all it takes is a special frame and a photo. Elaine Burton-Saindon, a coordinator with the Pembina Valley Local Immigration Partnership (PVLIP), said the initiative is called Welcoming Week 2025. “[It’s] a celebration of trying to just show hospitality and welcoming spirits towards all residents of your community, regardless of where they come from or what they look like,” she said. As straightforward as a selfie Participation in Welcoming Week 2025 is simple. Residents from across the Pembina Valley can get involved by submitting a selfie to PVLIP, which the organization will digitally attach to a brightly coloured frame that reads “I am a Welcomer” and post on its social media. It’s also possible to reach out to PVLIP to request a physical frame that can be used to take welcomer pictures. PVLIP can be reached on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, on its website, or by email at info@pvlip.ca. Burton-Saindon said the initiative is open to anyone in the community interested in showing hospitality. Organizations and businesses are especially encouraged to get involved. “Last year was the first time we did [this], and we didn't know what to expect, and just the community reach was almost 20,000,” she said. “We want to challenge everyone because we want to do better than last year.” The coordinator said that PVLIP would ideally like its pictures in by about September 10th in time to post each day of Welcoming Week. Submissions, however, will also be accepted afterwards. A fitting initiative According to Burton-Saindon, Welcoming Week is a celebration that aligns with PVLIP’s philosophy. “Our main objective is to promote and help create welcoming communities,” she said. “It's a very broad topic and there are many facets to it, but generally speaking, [Welcoming Week] is one way to [celebrate] that over the last twenty years in this region alone, in the Pembina Valley, over 130 countries have actually chosen to live and work here. That is phenomenal.” Other stories: ‘Dear Fire Chief,’: Winkler Daycare Centre kids meet their local heroes Stanley Community Pathway update: Paving underway on Winkler–Morden trail Burton-Saindon added that approximately 1200-1500 newcomers move to the Pembina Valley each year, so participating in the initiative is one way to show support. “Sometimes we don't recognize that — it's not always visible, but it's within us, and so we want to make a statement and say, ‘We're so glad you chose to move here to contribute to our businesses, to start up new ventures, add new foods to our restaurant selections — all these things,’” she said. A welcoming region Burton-Saindon, as someone who has been a part of PVLIP for some time now, has often heard that the Pembina Valley is hospitable far beyond Welcoming Week. “Generally, we have a really positive region,” she said. “There are several immigration programs helping to create that, and [newcomers] also take initiatives in their own businesses and in their own local communities to really make sure families feel connected to resources and services in their region. I would say overall, most of the families who move here have felt and been made to feel welcome.” ‘A smile is the same in every language’ When it comes to tips for showing hospitality, Burton-Saindon said that one of her favourite phrases is a good place to start. “A smile is the same in every language. It can be as simple as smiling and waving hello,” she said. Click here to visit the PVLIP website. With files from Ty Hildebrand