Report of the Chairman and President

It has been four years since the official opening of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. As we celebrate this anniversary, we are proud to note that the planning for building Phase II has begun, as officially announced last November. Our aim is to ground break towards the end of 2002. We are bolstered in our ability to meet this schedule by the tremendous support we have received since the official announcement, the experience we gained during the planning and building of Phase I, and the operations and management skills we have accumulated in the last four years.

To fulfill our mission of bridging the cultural gap between the East and the West, CCC initiated this past year a number of activities in addition to its regular programs. The “Jews in Shanghai“ exhibition and “A Gift of Friendship Tribute Exhibit” attracted thousands of Canadians of Jewish, Chinese and other descents. In addition, a multicultural community event was organized in conjunction with the Canadian Multicultural Council, Asians in Ontario, to celebrate Asian Heritage Month, with eight different Asian communities displaying their heritage and culture at the Centre. CCC has also officially completed the “Volunteer @ction on Line” project in collaboration with over 40 other community organizations.

Other programs aimed at educating second generation Chinese Canadians, such as the “Chinese Canadian Youth Conference”, “Searching for Our Roots” and “Summer Student Study Tour to China” continue to enjoy great success. All of these events and programs help to fulfill the CCC's mandate to promote culture, understanding and inter-racial harmony.

We enjoyed one of our most successful annual fundraising galas to date with this year's Imperial Ball. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Gala Co-Chairs, Mr Chris Li and Mr Philip Lam for their tremendous efforts in organizing this event. We are pleased to have accomplished so much within the limits of a restrained budget, since prudent fiscal management will result in increased resources available for the Phase II building fund.

I would also like to thank all the volunteers, directors and advisors for their commitments to support CCC. In particular, I would like to thank our Vice-Chair, Mr Hughes Eng for his endless efforts. The contribution of all executive members, including the Fundraising Chair Mr John Man, Building Committee Chair Mr Alan Lam, Program Chair Mrs Lena Wong, IT Chair Mr Tony Wong and our Treasurer Mr Peter Yeung, deserve special acknowledgement for their tremendous contributions. In addition, CCC is blessed with exceptional staff, who willingly contribute beyond the call of duty time and time again to ensure that every milestone is reached and every project a success. Lastly, we should thank our Executive Director, Mr Stephen Siu, who continues to provide CCC with much needed support in many areas of development.

Looking ahead, we see an even brighter future for CCC, with the planned completion of the Phase II building phase by the spring of 2004. Phase II's new Performing Arts Theater and the multi-purpose auditorium will add significantly to the cultural scene of the Greater Toronto Area. With the support of the community, CCC will continue its development to becoming the most comprehensive Chinese cultural centre in all of North America. We look forward to welcoming all of our friends to the official opening of the new building.