Asian Heritage Month Festival 2026
Presented by Asian Heritage Month-CFACI
Please save the dates! Registration links will be added once they are available.
At a glance | Asian Heritage Month Festival 2026
Virtual Museum of Asian Canadian Cultural Heritage (VMACCH)
Senator Dr. Vivienne Poy signing the Asian Heritage Month Declaration
Message from Her Worship Olivia Chow, Mayor, City of Toronto (tbc)
___________________________________________________________
1. Asian Heritage Month Opening Ceremony | “Unity in Diversity: Countering Hate and Fostering Human Connection Through Building Belonging and Friendship”
Date: Saturday May 9, 2026 | 1pm – 3pm
Please arrive at 12:30pm to tour the exhibition.
Venue: Metro Hall Rotunda, Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto. Map
FREE ADMISSION | Please register at __________
For the Opening Ceremony on Saturday May 9, 2026: The building is closed for weekends. So access to Metro Hall Rotunda on that day is ONLY through the East Entrance of David Pecaut Square.
O Canada – Music: Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Soprano: Dr. Vania Chan
With photography on Magnificent Canada by Tam Kam Chiu and Stephen Siu
Opening remarks
The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages (tbc)
Her Worship Olivia Chow, Mayor, City of Toronto (tbc)
The Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy, former Senator who tabled the Motion in the Senate of Canada, and Founding Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI
Mr. Justin Poy, Honourary Patron of Asian Heritage Month-CFACI, and Chinese Canadian Legend Award holder
Plenary Address
The Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy, former Senator who tabled the Motion in the Senate of Canada, and Founding Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI
“Asian Heritage Month: Countering Hate and Fostering Human Connection Through Building Belonging and Friendship” (Title tbc)
Asian Heritage Month Lecture
Mr. Justin Poy, Honourary Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI, Chinese Canadian Legend Award Winner
“The Difference in the Appreciation of Fine Arts: Understanding Consumer Behaviour in Asia and how it impacts us in Canada.”
Music by Award Winning Asian Canadian Artists
Artistic Directors: Professor Chan Ka Nin, Alice Ping Yee Ho, Dr. Vania Chan
Unity in Diversity: Fostering Human Connection | Text by Arlene Chan
“Imagine” words and music by John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Translation to Chinese by Ramon Tam
Vania Chan, soprano. CHAN Ka Nin, guitar
Case Study of Prominent Asian Canadians
Evelyn Sue Wong
“Reach for the Sky: How Two Brothers Built an Airplane in Chinatown”
Presentation by the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto
Peter Lau & CCPST
“Together, We Thrive: Celebrating Asian Heritage, Building Shared Humanity: Introduction to Asian Heritage Month Exhibitions”
Asian Heritage Month Photo and Art Exhibition
Photo Exhibition by the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto
Art Exhibition by Stephen Yau, Rosita Law, Joe Cho, Jimmy Rice.
Tour of the Photography and Visual Art Exhibition with opportunities to chat with the photographers, visual artists and composers.
2. “Together, We Thrive: Celebrating Asian Heritage, Building Shared Humanity — Asian Canadian Art and Photography Exhibition” at City Hall Rotunda
Date: Tuesday April 27 to Saturday May 2, 2026
Venue: City Hall Rotunda, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto. Map
FREE ADMISSION
3. Photo Exhibition at City Hall Library by Award-winning Photographer Tam Kam Chiu, GMPSA
Venue: City Hall Branch, Toronto Public Library, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto. Map
FREE ADMISSION
4. “Community-led Efforts to Counter Hate, Misinformation, and Polarization by Fostering Critical Thinking and Social Cohesion” | Asian Heritage Month Film Festival programmed by Reelworld
Date: Friday May 1, 2026 | 7pm
Location: Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto. Map
FREE ADMISSION. Please register __________
5. “Empowering Communities Against Racism: Asian Canadian Photography Exhibition” | Asian Heritage Month Photography Exhibition by Award-Winning Asian Canadian Photographers at Metro Hall Rotunda
Date: Thursday May 7 to Tuesday May 12, 2026
Venue: Metro Hall Rotunda, Toronto, 55 John Street, Toronto. Map
FREE ADMISSION
6. Asian Heritage Month Education Roundtable: “Sharing Stories of Challenges and Successes: Asian Canadian Resilience in Motion”
Date: Friday May 8, 2026
Venue: University of Toronto
FREE ADMISSION | FOR SCHOOLS ONLY
7. Asian Heritage Month Talk at Toronto Public Library: “Parallel Paths: the Chinese and Jewish Communities in The Ward and Beyond”
Date: Tuesday May 12, 2026 | 6:30pm
Venue: Beeton Hall, Toronto Reference Library, Toronto Public Library, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto. Map
Speakers: Arlene Chan and John Lorinc
FREE ADMISSION | Please register here.
8. School Workshops
Music workshop by Bo San Karantjans
Story telling workshop by Catherine Little
FREE ADMISSION | FOR SCHOOLS ONLY
9. Annual Asian Heritage Month Concert: “Songs of Belonging: An Asian Canadian Concert of Hope and Human Connection Against Hate”
Date: Thursday May 28, 2026, 7pm
Venue: Father Madden Hall, St. Michael’s College, 100 St. Joseph Street (Museum Subway Station) Map
FREE ADMISSION: Please register at __________________
Map: Father Madden Hall, St. Michael’s College, 100 St. Joseph Street
Artistic Directors: Professor Chan Ka Nin, Ms Alice Ping Yee Ho, Dr. Vania Chan
Welcoming speech by Mr. Justin Poy
1) O Canada
2) Modern Dance
Yvonne Ng
3) A Short Play by Arlene Chan.
Matthew Li, grandpa; Vania Chan, grandchild
4) Traditional Dances from China
Jeffrey Chan, dancer
5) Aunt Norma By Chan Ka Nin
Hong-Da Chin, dizi, Amely Zhou, erhu, Alice Ho, piano
6) Songs for Humanity
“X”…
Xon Pon Aria by Alice Ho
Vania Chan, soprano; Matthew Li, baritone; x singer; Alice Ho, piano
7) Korean Music
Rao Hyunyoung Lee, Gayageum; Amely Zhou, erhu; Hong-Da Chin, dizi; John Lee, percussion
8) Jazz Piano
Hymn to Freedom by Oscar Peterson
What A Wonderful World Words and Music by George David Weiss and Bob Thiele
Bernard Hui, piano; Chan Ka Nin, bass; John Lee, percussion
9) Finale: 明天會更好 羅大佑
Vania Chan, soprano; Matthew Li, baritone; x singer(s)
Bernard Hui, Alice Ho, piano; Chan Ka Nin, bass; John Lee, percussion; plus others
Asian Heritage Month Festival is partially funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Asian Canadian Artists in Digital Age is funded by Canada Council for the Arts Digital Strategy Fund
Supporters of Asian Heritage Month 2026
Main Partner: Toronto Public Library
- Canadian Heritage Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Program
- Canada Council for the Arts Digital Strategy Fund
- Toronto Arts Council Digital Communities Fund
- Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto
- Cambridge Food and Wine Society
- Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture
- Cheng Yu Tung East Asian Library, University of Toronto
- Chi Ping Dance Group
- Chinese Canadian Photographic Association of Toronto
- Chinese Collective Arts Association
- City of Toronto
- City Opera Vancouver
- Justin Poy Agency
- Moon Pointer Production Inc.
- Reel Asian Film Festival
- ReelWorld Film Festival
- Richard Charles Lee Canada-Hong Kong Library
- Toronto Arts Council
- Toronto Catholic District School Board
- Toronto District School Board
- Toronto Public Library