The idea for a society that would bring together all the various cultural groups of Kamloops began in the early 1970s. The Kamloops Multicultural Society (KMS) was formed in 1975 under the British Columbia Societies Act. There were about ten founding member organizations, including the Can-Ital Ladies Society, Colombo Lodge, Sons of Norway, Ukrainian Professional Business Club and Kamloops Japanese-Canadian Association.
MISSION
- To promote and cultivate increased understanding and friendship between Canadian ethnic groups.
- To organize and support the interchange of cultural and traditional activities of ethno-cultural groups and to encourage the retention of all cultures and to share them with other Canadians.
- To assist and encourage new immigrants in their endeavours to become fully participating citizens in Canada.
Every year since its formation, the Kamloops Multicultural Society has provided the organization and entertainment for the Canada Day – FolkFest celebrations on July 1st.
As more and more people have become aware of the Federal government’s policy on multiculturalism and the multicultural issues facing their community, the role of the Society has increased considerably. It is now an umbrella organization for over twenty local ethnic groups, representing over 1,000 individuals, as well as a number of associate members. Its mandate is to foster understanding and mutual respect between members of all races and religions.
The Kamloops Multicultural Society is a member of the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA) and the Southern Interior Multicultural Region.
The Kamloops Multicultural Society (KMS) is a registered non-profit umbrella organization for many local cultural and ethnic groups.