Matin was not born of a single moment of inspiration. It is the outcome of many years of practice: first in cultural planning in my country of origin, and later through my involvement with community councils and cultural planning bodies in Montréal.
That experience led me to a clear conclusion. There was room for a different kind of institution: lean, responsive and intellectually rigorous, something closer to a cultural start-up, fully accountable to the law yet free from the conventions that so often constrain our sector.
It also revealed a structural gap. In many organizations, cultural decisions rest with a small circle of people. Residents are invited to attend events, but seldom asked what culture means to them, what they actually need, or where programming could genuinely serve them. In several Montréal boroughs where I have worked, the same familiar faces return to every activity, while a large share of the population remains unaware that these programs and community spaces exist for them, and are funded by their own taxes.
I never set out to build a technology company or an import-export business. My aim was to continue, in Canada, the professional path I had followed for years. As many immigrants know, re-establishing oneself in one's own field is a demanding process, and it required me to set aside other economic opportunities. My commitment today is to place that knowledge and experience at the service of the community.
The name carries two meanings. In Persian, "Matin" describes a person who is composed, trustworthy, kind and seasoned. In French, "matin" is the morning: the close of the night and the beginning of a new day.
We deliberately chose a light structure over a heavy hierarchy. Matin Intercultural Institute was registered as a non-profit organization in Québec, Canada, in October 2026. Since then, we have established our first Advisory Circle, launched "Culture in Plain Words", a programme of 100 concise learning articles on our website, and organized our first community walk in Parc Angrignon.
This pace does not come at the expense of rigour. Registration was one milestone within a plan that was already in motion well before it.
Regardless of gender, background, origin or language, each of us has something to learn from other cultures, something worth sharing from our own, and a stake in building common ground through dialogue in Canada's multicultural society. That is the mission of Matin Intercultural Institute.
I would welcome the opportunity to connect with anyone who shares this vision.