The New Brunswick Multicultural Council Elects New Board President

by New Brunswick Multicultural Council
November 5, 2018

Moncef Lakouas was elected the new Board President of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council at their Annual General Meeting in Bathurst, NB, last week.

Bathurst, NB – The member agencies of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council elected Moncef Lakouas, former 1st Vice-President, and an active member of the organization for overs 6 years. as their new Board President. Past president, Mike Timani, stepped down after completing two terms and leading the agency over the past five years through a period of growth, transition, and dozens of new initiatives.

“Moncef is a strong, thoughtful leader with a big heart. With his experience, vision and leadership skills, I have every confidence he will help move our sector forward and provide a voice on the issues affecting immigrants, newcomers, and members of the multicultural community.” said past president, Mike Timani.

Originally from Rabat, Morocco, Moncef first came to Université de Moncton as an international student. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Finance, and completed a second bachelor’s in Accounting. He is the past president of the FEECUM, the university student union. During his tenure, Moncef maintained partnerships with various community stakeholders, including elected government officials, to revive the debate around the student cause and to work on issues that unite students in regard to the development of francophone cultural identity and the integration and retention of international students.

Developing youth and immigration services in the province are both close to his heart. Moncef’s commitment to his community has led him to serve on the Board of Governors at the Université de Moncton, the board of Directors of UDEM Alumni, the board of Directors of Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick as Youth delegate, the New Brunswick Multicultural Council as First Vice-President, the CAFI – a centre which offers settlement and support services for francophone immigrants in southeastern New Brunswick – as President of the Board of Directors, and the Multicultural Association of Greater Moncton Area.

The new president, Moncef Lakouas, accepted the new mandate by stating “With profound gratitude and humility, I accept the confidence placed in me by our members association to lead NBMC as president. My story is that of a young man from a middle class family that wasn’t well off, or well known, and who invested all their savings in my education believing that in Canada and New Brunswick, their son can achieve whatever he puts his mind to. I believe that through hard work and sacrifice each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as proud New Brunswickers, to ensure that we build a diverse and inclusive province for future generations. I am more than committed to work with all our members and all New Brunswickers to achieve that ambitious purpose”.

As the umbrella organization for multicultural, ethno-cultural associations and immigrant-serving agencies across the province, NBMC is once again positioned to provide leadership on cultural inclusion, focusing on how diversity contributes to creativity, prosperity, and the sustainability of the province. Together, NBMC and its member associations provide a provincial voice on issues of multiculturalism, immigration, newcomer settlement, retention and labour market integration from the newcomer’s perspective.

With a renewed sense of purpose and a new slate of officers in its Executive Council, NBMC is well placed to respond to the needs of their member organizations in providing innovative programs and enhanced services to address evolving newcomer needs. Members nominated Rambha Pershad (Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association) as 1st Vice President, Bin Zhang (Multicultural Association of Fredericton) as 2nd Vice President. Members Kassim Dumbia (Comité d’accueil, d’intégration et d’établissement des nouveaux arrivants de la Péninsule acadienne (CAIENA), Secretary, and Julian Riva (Charlotte County Multicultural Association),Treasurer, both continue their mandates for another year.

The NBMC 2018 Annual General Meeting, held October 27, 2018 in Bathurst, followed NBMC’s fourth annual Growing Together conference, gala and Champions of Cultural Diversity awards ceremony.