City’s international students celebrated at annual event                   photo courtesy CNC

Prince George, BC –  Final preparations are being made for this Friday’s 7th Annual Welcoming Party for International Students, which is meant to celebrate their arrival and provide a bit of an introduction to our city.

With a growing number of secondary and post-secondary students from around the globe choosing to come to Prince George to study, several community groups banded together back in 2010 to host the first welcoming party, which wraps with a big BBQ outside City Hall.

In providing an overview at this evening’s City Council meeting, the College of New Caledonia’s Anne Harris notes both the number of students and the diversity of countries of origin continues to grow every year.  While this year’s numbers are not yet available, approximately 600 post-secondary students are believed to be ‘cracking the books’ at the college and UNBC.

While Harris notes the benefits of ‘growing’ the region’s diversity are plentiful, she says the BC Council of International Education pegs the economic impact of international students at an estimated $33-million dollar boost to the region’s overall GDP in 2013-14.  And she points out that figure is up significantly from $25-million just the year before.

Harris says the party goes along way towards creating a welcoming environment that increases chances of successfully retaining the students in Prince George.

The event is organized, fundend, and hosted by the City, College of New Caledonia, Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society,  Multicultural Heritage Society, School District 57, Tourism Prince George, and UNBC