BongMilanti

About Us — BongMilanti
Est. June 28, 2023 · Vancouver, BC

A home for Bengali culture in Metro Vancouverমেট্রো ভ্যাঙ্কুভারে বাংলা সংস্কৃতির একটি আপন ঠিকানা

BongMilanti is a not-for-profit, non-political society that celebrates Bengali language, festivals, art and everyday life — open to anyone in Greater Vancouver, and a welcoming hand for newcomers as they settle in.

বঙ্গমিলান্তি একটি অলাভজনক ও অরাজনৈতিক সংগঠন, যা বাংলা ভাষা, উৎসব, শিল্প ও দৈনন্দিন জীবনযাত্রাকে উদযাপন করে। গ্রেটার ভ্যাঙ্কুভারের সকলের জন্য এটি উন্মুক্ত, এবং নতুন প্রবাসীদের জন্য একটি বন্ধুত্বপূর্ণ সহায়ক হাত।

Our story

How we started

BongMilanti — the Metro Vancouver Bengali Cultural Association — was registered as a not-for-profit society under the BC Societies Act on June 28, 2023. We stay deliberately non-political: our focus is culture, community and connection, open to anyone in the Lower Mainland with an interest in Bengali culture, regardless of background or which side of the border their roots come from.

What began as a handful of families sharing Durga Puja evenings has grown into a year-round platform for stories, music, drama, literature and the everyday questions of building a life in a new country.

A platform for everyone in Greater Vancouver to share in Bengali culture, stories, views and ideas — and simply have fun.

2023Society founded
Non-profitUnder the BC Societies Act
Non-politicalCulture first, always
Vancouver, BCProudly part of Canada's multicultural fabric
B H R O

Build, Organize, Host, Raise — our four commitments, one emblem.

Why families stay involved

Everything we organize serves one of four things members tell us they came for.

Festivals that feel like home

Durga Puja, cultural evenings and celebrations that bring the sights and sounds of Bengal to the Lower Mainland.

Workshops and mentorship

Seminars and meetings for adults, seniors and kids to learn, network and grow — personally and professionally.

A hand for newcomers

Practical support and guidance on immigration, jobs and accommodation from people who've walked the same path.

Friendships that last

An adda-style community that's just as much about weekday check-ins as it is about the big annual events.

What we do, strung together like a garland

Four commitments run through everything BongMilanti organizes, from a Saturday adda to Durga Puja itself.

Build community and heritage

We promote Bengali culture and heritage across the Lower Mainland — welcoming anyone with an interest in that heritage, and connecting younger generations to their roots through gatherings, festivals, film, art, literature and public speaking, and helping newcomers navigate immigration, jobs and housing.

Organize cultural events

From traditional and contemporary Bengali song, drama and dance to events that welcome other communities in, we open a window onto the richness of Bengali and wider Indian festivals, literature, music and art within Canada's multicultural fabric.

Plan and host workshops

Periodic workshops, seminars and meetings give adults, seniors and kids room to network, learn and share experience — for personal growth and career development alike.

Raise funds for good causes

We organize fundraising events for the relief of distress and other charitable causes in our community and beyond.

Our team, 2026

BongMilanti is run by volunteers — a board of directors who give their evenings and weekends to keep the community connected.

Current board BongMilanti Directors 2026

Directors, 2026

The current board steering this year's events, membership and finances.

Past board BongMilanti Directors 2025

Directors, 2025

The outgoing board whose work carried BongMilanti through 2025.

Come share an adda with us

Whether you've just landed in Vancouver or your family has been here for decades, there's a seat for you at the next BongMilanti gathering.