The two-day 39th FOBANA, a gathering of expatriates, is held in Montreal, Canada.

The 39th FOBANA Conference, the largest cultural event for expatriate Bangladeshis in North America, is set to begin at Montreal's busiest downtown plaza on Saturday, local time in Canada. More than a hundred musicians, actors and actresses, educators and intellectuals are joining the two-day conference. Organizers hope that this year's event will turn Montreal into a "mini Bangladesh."

The last two FOBANAs held in Montreal created a bustling atmosphere. However, the organizers believe that this year's event will be more extensive and participatory. Due to the central venue in downtown and easy access to the metro and buses, a large expatriate crowd is expected this time. Already, almost all socio-cultural organizations, political and professional people in the city have confirmed their active participation.

The organizing organization is Canada-Bangladesh Solidarity. The organizing committee, led by former student leader Ziaul Haque Zia, is working in unison, forgetting differences. Member Secretary Journalist Iqbal Kabir said that the visas and tickets of the guests have already been confirmed. The arrival of artists and guests will start from August 28 and 29.

There is also a rare solidarity seen from the media side surrounding this year's event. Led by veteran journalist Rumu Islam, expatriate TV, print, online, YouTube and freelance journalists have decided to forget their differences and present news together.

The conference will feature various programs including dance, singing, recitation, drama, talent show, fashion show, youth forum, Fobana scholarship, etc. Additionally, North American academics and researchers, led by microbiologist and author Dr. Shoaib Saeed, will participate in various seminars. Topics to be discussed include:

The Canada-US trade war, changing global politics and the future of Bangladesh in the era of economic nationalism, technology, environment and diaspora: the role of youth.