Les Éléphants in Ontario: Cote d’Ivoire’s World Cup Journey and Diaspora Pride

As Ontario embraces being one of the hosts for FIFA World Cup 2026™, Forward Motion continues its Road to FIFA World Cup 2026™ series, celebrating the countries, cultures, and communities that will be part of the tournament experience in Toronto.

In this episode, host Andrew Siegwart speaks with Viviane Sinan, Vice President of ACIRT (Association de la Communauté Ivoirienne de la Région de Toronto), about the Ivorian community’s rapid growth over the last five years to roughly 30,000 people across Canada.

Vivian explains how Ivorians contribute to Canadian society through education, culture, festivals, entrepreneurship, public service, and the Canadian Forces. ASIRT’s mission is to unite and organize the community, support newcomers, and enhance their impact in Canada. The organization hosts welcome days, sports activities, participation in a long-running multicultural festival in Mississauga, and workshops on mental health and financial literacy, particularly around navigating Canada’s credit system.

The conversation also spotlights Ivorian culture and tourism, from Abidjan and Yamoussoukro’s basilica to coastal beaches, waterfalls, diverse regional cuisines like attieke and alloco, and vibrant music scenes including zouglou and artists like Magic System. Viviane underscores the significance of World Cup 2026™ for Ivorians at home and in the diaspora, describing the national team “Les Éléphants” as resilient, proud, and deeply connected to millions of supporters worldwide.

Forward Motion thanks its partners for their support of this show:

Ontario Travel & Tourism Monthly

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