By Ying Wang, Participant at MOSAIC’s Multicultural Seniors Day
Translated from Chinese by MOSAIC Seniors Club staff.
October 1 is Canada’s National Seniors Day. This year, MOSAIC hosted its annual Multicultural Seniors Day Celebration at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre in Burnaby. I attended with 20 members of the Little Bees Club, joining seniors from many different communities to celebrate a day filled with culture, creativity, and connection.
For many years, as a journalist and Vice President of World Chinese Weekly, I had reported on Seniors Day. But this year marked the first time I joined as a senior myself. In previous years, I stood on the outside, covering the story. This year, I became part of it—seated among the guests, as one of the seniors. Though I resisted admitting it to myself, the truth is that I already carry a senior’s transit card. Where has the time gone?
This year’s theme, “From What Is to What If: The Power of Wisdom, Imagination, and Purpose,” resonated deeply with me. It encouraged seniors to dream beyond limits, to reimagine aging with courage. In my own way, it gave me strength to face aging more openly.
The celebration began with a powerful Indigenous welcome: singing and drumming that filled the hall, led by respected leader Racelle Kooy. The sound of the drum carried the heartbeat of Mother Earth, warmly embracing every senior present. Community leaders then offered greetings, honouring the occasion and the contributions of seniors.
The stage came alive with performances that reflected the diversity of Canada. Seniors in traditional attire led dances, sang folk songs, played instruments, practiced Tai Chi, and demonstrated Qigong and belly dance. The MOSAIC Multicultural Seniors’ Choir and Musical Theatre troupe performed pieces portraying the everyday lives of seniors—both their struggles and their resilience. These were not professional performers, but elders themselves, turning their lived experiences into art. The interaction between stage and audience was electric: when the performers moved, the audience joined in, standing, singing, and moving together.
The design of the program showed great care for seniors’ needs. Instead of sitting too long, we were encouraged to move, participate, and engage. Tables were set for 35 groups, with coffee, fruit, and snacks available throughout. At each table, materials for crafts were provided so every participant could create something with their hands. Together, we decorated puzzle pieces and added them to a 50-foot mural, displaying imagination, creativity, and collective wisdom.
At lunchtime, delicious bento meals were served, while exhibitors from different organizations opened booths, offering information on seniors’ health, housing, and community resources. There were free gifts—magnifiers, keychains, water bottles—that brought smiles to many faces. A prize draw added excitement, and each senior left with a small gift to mark the day. Volunteers moved gracefully among the tables, guiding activities and ensuring everyone was included. It reminded me that such joyful and well-organized experiences are not only for children in kindergarten, but should also belong to seniors who have spent their lives contributing to society.
The presence of dignitaries—including the Mayor of Burnaby, city councillors, provincial and federal representatives—showed the value placed on seniors in our community. The highlight was the presentation of the SAGE Awards (Seniors Aging with Grace and Excellence), recognizing elders who exemplify volunteerism, compassion, and leadership in MOSAIC, among their peers, and in the wider community.
The hall, filled with over 400 people, radiated joy and energy from morning until afternoon. Multicultural performances brought colour and vitality, with seniors of different backgrounds singing, dancing, and celebrating together. The day concluded with an impromptu dance involving seniors from each table, a perfect ending to a vibrant celebration.
Yet beyond the joy, I reflected on the barriers many immigrant seniors still face—language difficulties, transportation challenges, and safety concerns often keep them isolated. A 2025 study found that 71% of immigrant seniors in Canada wish to participate more in social activities, but many cannot because of these barriers. Events like MOSAIC’s Multicultural Seniors Day are essential because they break down these obstacles. They create spaces where seniors can step outside their homes, be welcomed, and feel that they belong.
Since 2012, Multicultural Seniors Day has grown into a signature gathering for MOSAIC—“for seniors, by seniors.” Here, seniors are not simply spectators or passive recipients. They are leaders, performers, and storytellers. Their voices fill the hall. Their traditions light up the stage. Their experiences remind us all that aging is not decline, but a season where wisdom and imagination shine.
This year, as I sat among my peers, I felt both humbled and uplifted. What began for me as professional coverage years ago has now become a personal journey. Step by step, I have walked into Canada, and step by step, I have walked into this community of seniors who continue to dream, to create, and to lead.
Multicultural Seniors Day showed me that aging can be joyful, active, and full of possibility. And for that, I am grateful.
