An extraordinary and heartwarming scene unfolded at a Vancouver hotel in March 2016, where Syrian refugees, newly arrived in Canada, found themselves sharing temporary accommodation with attendees of the VancouFur furry convention.
An Unplanned Cultural Crossroads
The fifth annual VancouFur convention, an event where participants dress as fictional anthropomorphic animal characters, was held from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th March 2016. Unbeknownst to many attendees, the venue—the Radisson Hotel Vancouver Airport—had also been selected by Canadian authorities as temporary housing for a number of Syrian refugee families. The refugees had been personally welcomed at Vancouver airport by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as part of Canada's resettlement programme.
Organisers proactively addressed the situation, issuing a message to all convention delegates. They explained the hotel's dual purpose and emphasised a primary concern: "ensuring that each and every one of the refugees (and attendees) feels welcome and safe as this is likely to be a major shock to them." The guidance wisely added, "Keep in mind that they likely will not want to interact with you and consent is important to everyone."
A Joyful Interaction Defies Expectations
Contrary to cautious expectations, the encounter proved to be a resounding success, particularly for the youngest refugees. The Syrian children, far from being alarmed, were captivated by the colourful, larger-than-life furry characters. To them, the costumed attendees appeared as cartoons sprung to life.
Photos from the event captured the pure delight of the moment, showing children playing with the furries and happily posing for pictures. Attendee Mike Schmidt recounted the experience on Vancity Buzz, describing it as a highlight. "To them we were cartoons to come to life, to us [it] was a means to display our acting performance to a very appreciative audience," he wrote, concluding, "Win win all round."
A Symbol of Canadian Welcome
This spontaneous interaction became a powerful, if unexpected, chapter in the refugees' early days in Canada. Following official welcomes from the Prime Minister and local schoolchildren, this organic moment of joy and curiosity represented a different kind of acceptance. It underscored the potential for positive cultural exchange in everyday settings, even amidst the profound dislocation of fleeing conflict.
The event, dated Wednesday 9th March 2016, stands as a memorable example of compassion and open-mindedness from both the VancouFur community and the refugee families, turning a potential point of cultural friction into a shared moment of happiness and connection.
