About Us

What is the London Multicultural Community Association (LMCA)?

The LMCA is an umbrella organization that works with the ethnic groups and the broader community in London to promote multiculturalism and inclusiveness.
The LMCA is an important facilitator to forging meaningful cultural alliances in London by bridging misunderstanding to foster acceptance of those who have the capacity, intellect and drive to grow our economy and contribute to a more robust quality of life.

Since inception, the LMCA has:

• Initiated and helped in raising close to $150,000 (with matching funds) to help in natural and humanitarian disasters for Haiti, Japan, the Horn of Africa, Calgary, the Philippines, Nepal, the Red Cross mobile field hospital and Syrian refugees.
• Organized a city wide memorial for Nelson Mandela.
• Built relationship with community partners and sponsors, such as the Aeolian Hall, the City of London, London Children's Museum, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Government of Ontario, King's University College, WIL Employment Connection and YMCA.
• Initiated the LMCA scholarship fund to assist immigrant high school students.
• Conducted a study on the needs and barriers to success of immigrant entrepreneurs in London, and organized a series of speakers and networking for immigrant entrepreneurs.
• Organized four annual city wide multicultural events.
• Organized six annual gala events to celebrate diversity, inclusiveness and entrepreneurship, and to raise funds for different causes.

Why do we need an LMCA

• Percentage of immigrants in London is relatively low compared to Ontario and Canada.
• Immigrants are the key to London’s economy. We have to retain and attract them to London.
• Immigrants in London came from more than 100 countries, yet each ethnic community is relatively small.
• The LMCA works together with the ethnic communities to organize big multicultural events, manage big projects and be a voice for all.
• Together with our partners, the LMCA strives to make London a welcoming place, where immigrants can showcase their heritage and culture, contribute to the local economy and become an integral part of the London social fabric.

Helping immigrant entrepreneurs:

• Immigrants are more prone to become entrepreneurs than non- immigrants.
• Immigrant entrepreneurs face more challenges that non-immigrants
• It is more expensive to create a new job via employment than via entrepreneurship.
• With a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the LMCA conducted a feasibility study to investigate the barriers to success of immigrant entrepreneurs in London.
• With a grant from the Government of Ontario, the LMCA organized a series of speakers and networking for immigrant entrepreneurs.

The LMCA Scholarship fund for immigrant high-school students

Our scholarship fund for immigrant high-school students was initiated with help from King’s University College in London, Ontario. Throughout the years we have had assistance to the fund by WIL Employment Connection and by The Grand Theatre with proceeds from tickets sales of their show ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ going towards the LMCA Scholarship Fund.

Scholarships are given every year to immigrant high-school students at the our annual London Multicultural Community Association gala event. If you are interesting in supporting the fund or would like to apply for the fund please contact us.

Fund raising concerts for humanitarian causes:

• March 2010: A relief concert to help Haiti after the earthquake.
• April 2011: A vigil night and relief concert to help Japan after the tsunami.
• September 2011: A relief concert to help with the famine in the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia).
• October 2013: In the LMCA 2nd gala we raised funds raiser to support the Red Cross field emergency hospital that was based in Jordan to help Syrian refugees.
• July 2013: A relief concert to help Calgary after the flood.
• December 2013: A relief concert to help the Philippines after the typhoon.
• November 2015: In the LMCA 4th gala in we raised funds to help settling Syrian refugees in London.
• May 2015: A relief concert to help Nepal after the earthquake

Multicultural events

The LMCA has organized annual multicultural events since 2014. The first three events were during the federal Culture Days weekend. In 2017, the LMCA partnered with the City of London, London Tourism and the London Heritage Council to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary and organized a multicultural event under the Sesquifest event on Canada Day.

Special events

A Tribute to Nelson Mandela on the very same date that he was buried in South Africa was organized by the LMCA together with ACFOLA, the Aeolian Hall, FCALD and the Protea Club of London on December 15, 2013.

Gala events

The LMCA annual gala event is the only multicultural dinner in town. It is an opportunity for everybody to celebrate diversity and inclusiveness, and for local talents to perform and showcase their art and culture. This is when we give our scholarships to immigrant high school students.

• October 2012: Our first Gala event in partnership with the Marconi Club. Celebrating the incorporation of the LMCA.
• October 2013: Our second gala event. Guest speaker: Dr. Dev Sainani, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Chair. Fund raiser to support the Red Cross field emergency hospital that was based in Jordan to help Syrian refugees.
• October 2014: Our third gala event. Guest speaker: Mr. Damir Slogar, Big Blue Bubble, Founder and President. Announcement of the LMCA Scholarship Fund.
• November 2015: Our forth gala event. Guest speaker: City Councillor Harold Usher. Fund raiser to help settling Syrian refugees in London.
• November 2016: Our fifth gala event. Guest speaker: Mr. Kapil Lakhotia, President and CEO, LEDC. Fund raiser for LMCA scholarship fund.
• November 2017: Our sixth gala event. Guest speaker: Mr. John Winston, General Manager, London Tourism, Fund raiser for LMCA scholarship fund.