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Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benoit Songa founded the Centre RIRE in 1996, and now serves as the general manager of this centre for new immigrants (the French acronym of which stands for the centre’s mission to provide academic assistance, social and professional integration, intercultural connections and computer classes). He is shown here at a ceremony organized by the City to welcome newcomers.
1975 - 2019

An ever-more diverse population

At the end of the 20th century, migration and population movement increased around the world. Québec City’s cultural landscape rapidly diversified during this time. The city’s quality of life and professional opportunities attracted people from all over. Some endured great difficulty, fleeing authoritarian political regimes in Haiti or Eastern Europe for instance. Others sought refuge from armed conflicts, such as those in Congo, Vietnam and Cambodia. Get a glimpse into the lives of individuals to discover how this sweeping phenomenon of immigration played out on a smaller scale in Québec City!

Benoit Songa of the Centre RIRE

Auteur inconnu Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benoit Songa founded the Centre RIRE in 1996, and now serves as the general manager of this centre for new immigrants (the French acronym of which stands for the centre’s mission to provide academic assistance, social and professional integration, intercultural connections and computer classes). He is shown here at a ceremony organized by the City to welcome newcomers.
Chronoscope Can you classify this photo in one or more archival categories? (unilingual French for a limited time) Source: Ville de Québec All rights reserved: Ville de Québec - Date: October 2010