Refugee turned CEO: His goal to integrate refugees into Canadian society

 | 
13/08/2016
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In 1988 the world had about 15 million displaced people, now in 2016, there are more than 60 million refugees.

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS), celebrating it's 35 year anniversary, has made it their mission to not only welcome these migrants, but resettle and integrate them into Canadian society, with the lead of their CEO, who immigrated to Canada as an Iranian Baha'i refugee.

FARIBORZ BIRJANDIAN 
CCIS Executive Director
'Our mandate is to help immigrants and refugees in partnership with our community to regain really their self worth and their dignity and become a very meaningful participant in all aspects of our community life. We have about 70 different programs at the organization level and we attracted many talents, many of them former immigrants or refugees.�

The CEO is not alone in arriving to Canada as a refugee in 1988. Many of the other 300 staff members have also come in this way, and Fariborz has served as the CEO for the past 22 years. Due to his experience, he is able to truly understand the plight refugees face and the fears that accompany them as they get acclimated into a new country.

FARIBORZ BIRJANDIAN 
CCIS Executive Director
'Nobody plans to become a refugee, but once you become a refugee it's a whole different world. You have to learn to function with the limited resources you may have. The dangers around refugees, the safety of your children and your wife, your family-so the mental journey people go through, the process of becoming a refugee obviously is quite important to understand.�

CCIS assists with sponsoring refugees, both in the private sector and through the government. In 2013, they started sponsoring refugees from Syria and have sponsored over 500 by joining with other organizations, providing 75 percent of all sponsorships in their area. 

Fariborz is calling for drastic action to prevent refugees from leaving their country. If there are refugees, he is advocating for people to take measures to address their issues on a local level. He is insistant on managing the crisis because he knows how strongly it will impact everyone. 

FARIBORZ BIRJANDIAN 
CCIS Executive Director
'The world is becoming a small village. And what happens in one part of the world, I think we cannot ignore it, and we see when we ignore it, the disaster becomes so big that it impacts everybody.�

 'Everybody ignored it and now we have a problem that impacts obviously that country severely, the people in that country, and Europe and the entire world.â? 

CCIS acts as a shelter for all displaced, regardless of where they come from. They organize their mission around their logo, 'I was a stranger and you welcomed me,â? hoping that the fears of Canadian refugees will one day be eliminated and they will simply be left with the hope of a bright future. 

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SKYPE/www.ccisab.ca/
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