World Refugee Day – dancing and singing
Stories of hardship, perseverance, and new beginnings were shared Saturday, June 20th in the afternoon as Regional Connections hosted its first-ever World Refugee Day celebration in the Pembina Valley.
The event, held at Bethel Heritage Park in Winkler, brought together newcomers, community members, and settlement workers to recognize the experiences of refugees who have rebuilt their lives in the region.
Russelle Collantes, Resettlement Assistance Program Coordinator with Regional Connections, said the gathering was an opportunity to celebrate the resilience of refugees while helping the broader community better understand their experiences.
“The purpose of this gathering is just to celebrate the resilience of our refugee clients around the world,” said Collantes. “They have a lot of stories to share. They’re not just numbers or cases.”
Collantes said many refugees arrive in Canada after experiencing war, persecution, separation from loved ones, and other forms of trauma.
“They are fathers who chose separation to save their children, and they are mothers who go hungry just so their children can eat,” he said. “It’s the best opportunity to spread the word and let the community know about their stories and to have an inclusive community.”
The afternoon featured personal testimonials from refugees who have settled in the Pembina Valley through the Resettlement Assistance Program.
Russelle Collantes, Resettlement Assistance Program Coordinator with Regional Connections
Moussa Moustafa wanted to share his story. He fled conflict in the Central African Republic more than a decade ago.
Moustafa said war forced him to leave his home country, leading him to spend 12 years in a refugee camp in neighbouring Cameroon before arriving in Canada in September 2025.
Now living in the Pembina Valley with his family, Moustafa said he is grateful for the opportunity to build a new life.
“I am very happy to participate in this celebration because we have peace,” he said. “Everything is good for my family.”
Moustafa said his children are attending school, and his family has found stability after years of uncertainty.
“I want to thank the government for this support for refugees,” he added.
Moussa Moustafa with his family
Speaker, Nesha Hayles, shared an emotional account of being separated from her sons for nine years while navigating the refugee process.
Originally from Jamaica, Hayles first sought refuge in Trinidad and Tobago before eventually making her way to Canada.
While establishing herself in a new country, she faced the ongoing pain of being apart from her children.
“There were birthdays I could not celebrate with them, milestones I could not witness, and countless moments that we missed together,” she said.
After years of waiting, paperwork, and uncertainty, Hayles was finally reunited with her sons in Canada.
“It was a moment filled with joy, relief, gratitude, and emotions that words can hardly describe,” she said.
Hayles thanked Canada, Regional Connections, and her family for helping make reunification possible.
“My story is a refugee story,” she said. “It is a story of sacrifice and survival, of never giving up on family, and of believing that hope can carry us through even the longest periods of separation.”
Akylbek Muratov, who arrived in Winkler seven months ago as a political refugee, spoke about fleeing persecution connected to his advocacy work within the Karakalpak community.
Muratov said he was arrested in Kazakhstan while Uzbek authorities sought his extradition and faced the possibility of spending decades in prison.
Instead, he was granted the opportunity to come to Canada.
“Canada didn’t just save my freedom,” he said. “Canada saved my life.”
Akylbek Muratov with RAP worker, Ana Larrauri
Since arriving in Winkler, Muratov said he has been overwhelmed by the support he has received from Regional Connections and the broader community.
“If I had to describe Winkler, and maybe Canada as well, in one phrase, I would choose ‘helping each other,'” he said.
Muratov said refugees arrive with more than stories of hardship.
“We also come with hope, skills, dreams, and a strong desire to contribute,” he said. “A refugee is not only a person who lost a home. A refugee is also a person who wants to build a new one.”
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2233261167433157/?t=63For Collantes, seeing refugee families establish roots in the Pembina Valley is one of the most rewarding aspects of the work.
“When we see families who arrive filled with uncertainty and over time we watch them gain confidence, build friendships, learn a new language, and begin to call this place home, it’s a privilege for us to see those journeys,” he said.
Looking around the park as children from different cultural backgrounds played together, Collantes said the event reflected the possibilities that come with safety and belonging.
“To see the unity that our children can have, and the peace that they can have in a new place without worrying about war or persecution, that’s a good view to see.”
He also thanked community members for helping make newcomers feel welcome.
“As a small community, we believe that we are stronger when we come together, embracing diversity, supporting one another, and recognizing that we are better together.”
Regional Connections provides services in multiple communities in rural Manitoba.
Regional Connections has 15 locations throughout Manitoba offering a variety of services.
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