Pakistanis began migrating to Canada in small numbers in the mid-1950s and early 1960s. In the 1950s, a very small number of Pakistani professionals in the areas of medicine, education, and engineering came to Alberta and settled in Edmonton. In the 1960s, there were more Pakistani students at the University of Alberta than immigrants. The Pakistan Students Association (PSA) on campus facilitated all community activities well into the early seventies and beyond. Immigration regulations gave preference to those with advanced education and professional skills, and the Pakistanis who came during this period, and throughout the 1960s, generally had excellent credentials. Many of them considered themselves to be sojourners, who had come to earn but not to settle, or were students who intended to return home when their degree programs were completed. While some went back, others remained to become the founding members of the Pakistani-Canadian community. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, most who arrived were young men pursuing graduate or professional studies. The majority of Pakistanis immigrating to Canada were mainly students, professionals, and economic migrants who had reasonable levels of education. As the community grew, there was a strong need and desire to establish a community-based organization to address day-to-day issues of settlement and to promote and preserve Pakistani-Canadian culture and heritage. In the early seventies, the number of Pakistanis who had settled in Edmonton had increased significantly, numbering around three hundred or so. In 1973, the Pakistan Canadian Association of Edmonton, Alberta (PCAE) was established as a not-for-profit society that works in partnership with community organizations, non-government organizations, the private sector, and all levels of government to develop sustainable legacies in intercultural and social issues. It was registered under Alberta’s Societies Act and has been in operation since then. The PCAE is involved in facilitating the settlement of new immigrants, as well as promoting and maintaining Pakistani culture, language, and heritage for the benefit of all Canadians. The vision of PCAE is to be a leader in the promotion of a society that recognizes the essential role, value, and diversity of volunteers in improving the quality of life in our province. Thus, we hope that by working together, we will maximize the impact of volunteers and voluntary organizations in Alberta.