The region’s Lebanese community is celebrating its heritage. The Windsor Essex Lebanese Canadian Club (WELCC) raised the Lebanese flag outside of Windsor city hall on Thursday to mark Lebanese Heritage Month. Club president Hussein Zarif says the flag is raised proudly to recognize Lebanese-Canadians and their accomplishments in the community. “There’s a lot of people in Windsor-Essex that have Lebanese heritage, and so the City of Windsor raising the flag shows that it recognizes the accomplishments and the cultural diversity of the region,” says Zarif. He feels every Lebanese person in the community is proud to see the flag being flown outside of city hall. “Seeing their flag being raised and seeing their culture being recognized is something that’s very important to the community,” he says. Zarif says there is a strong Lebanese-Canadian community in Windsor-Essex. “A lot of us had to leave our home countries for different reasons, but seeing your flag fly in Windsor, it makes you feel like you’re still at home in your home away from home, so it’s very warming to the heart.” November is recognized as Lebanese Heritage Month across Canada, celebrating generations of Lebanese-Canadians who have contributed to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the country. A Lebanese flag raising ceremony was held in Ottawa on Wednesday outside of Parliament Hill.
