On 6 and 7 June 2023, a representative of the Intercultural Cities (ICC) programme and an independent expert visited Sherbrooke for the first ICC expert visit to the city. During these two days, different meetings were organised with a wide range of local actors active in different fields related to intercultural integration.

An opening meeting brought together around fifty representatives from the city council, various city departments, paramunicipal, educational and community organisations, as well as the media. It provided an opportunity to present the intercultural approach to integration, the ICC programme and Sherbrooke's results in the Intercultural Cities Index, as well as the participatory process that led to the development of the city's new immigration policy "Policy for a welcoming and inclusive city for immigrants, refugees and people without status" (adopted later that same day). Lastly, during workshops focusing on four areas (employment and labour market, international perspectives, participation, media and communication), participants were able to share their impressions and suggestions as to the actions undertaken and to be undertaken within the city to make it more inclusive and intercultural.

The discussion on the city's strengths and needs in terms of intercultural policies, actions and governance was then deepened through a series of targeted visits around the municipality. Employment, training and recruitment initiatives undertaken by organisations such as Sherbrooke Innopole, Entreprendre Sherbrooke and Destination Sherbrooke, as well as by the city's human resources and police departments, were discussed in depth. These issues, as well as others relating to the promotion of diversity and integration, were also addressed at a meeting with the Action interculturelles organisation. Similarly, exchanges with the Sherbrooke University, Bishop's University and the École internationale du Phare covered interculturality and diversity in education and reception, while exchanges with the Service d'aide aux Néo-Canadiens (SANC), the Fédération des communautés culturelles de l'Estrie (FCCE) and Carrefour Accès Loisirs touched on the issue of reception, francisation and integration. ICC experts were also able to talk to media representatives (La Tribune and Radio Canada) about inclusive communication and representativeness.

We would like to thank all the stakeholders for their warm welcome and for the constructive and varied discussions. These will feed into the preparation of an analytical report setting out the city's 'intercultural profile' and providing targeted recommendations identified during the visit. These will serve as a basis for the city's subsequent work as part of its intercultural journey and its participation in the ICC programme. The report will be published in autumn 2023.