Celebrating the 21st Anniversary of the signing of the Asian Heritage Month Declaration by the Senate of Canada, a Motion proposed by the Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy, the first Canadian of Asian Descent to be appointed to the Senate of Canada.
Declaration of Asian Heritage Month, May 21, 2002. Click here to enlarge image. The Motion was passed in December 2001.
2023 Greetings from Deputy Mayor of Toronto Dr. Jennifer McKelvie
Mr. Poy at the Asian Heritage Month Reception held by the Minister of Canadian Heritage in Ottawa, 2019
Asian Heritage Month Festival 2023 Events
| Date and Time | Event | Venue | Highlights |
| Sat., May 13, 2023 | 11 am – 1:30 pm | Opening Ceremony of Asian Heritage Month 2023 and the Presentation of the Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts FREE ADMISSION with lunch reception sponsored by Mr. Justin Poy, Honourary Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI. Please register at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/asian-heritage-month-opening-ceremony-2023-tickets-626541862577 | Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Avenue (St. George Subway Station) Google Maps | Opening Speech: The Honourable Ahmed Hussen (Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion) Asian Heritage Month Lecture: “IT WAS ABOUT TIME” | The story behind Asian Heritage in Canada A talk between The Honourable Dr. Vivienne Poy (former Senator who tabled the Asian Heritage Month Motion in the Senate of Canada, and Founding Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI) and Mr. Justin Poy (Honourary Patron, Asian Heritage Month-CFACI, Chinese Canadian Legend Award Winner) Presentation of the Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts by Ms. Caroline Lussier, Director of Arts Promotion, Canada Council for the Arts, to Asian Canadian dance artist Yvonne Ng, followed by a dance choreographed by her. “Capturing the Moment and Beyond—Haiku Photography” by Mr. Stephen Siu (Chinese Canadian Legend Award Winner; Chair of Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto) Slideshow of Photographs by Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto with music by Professor Chan Ka Nin and Alice Ping Yee Ho READ MORE |
| Fri., May 5, 2023 | 1 pm | Evolution of Diverse Asian Cuisines in Toronto—Panel Discussion FREE ADMISSION EVENT LINK For more information or to register, please visit the City Hall Library or call 416-393-7538. | City Hall Library, Toronto Public Library, 100 Queen Street West (Queen Street Subway Station) Google Maps | Three local chefs in conversation share their favourite recipes and stories about life: Joanna Liu is a second generation chef who has honed her trade from her parents, Mei Wang and Michael Liu. Professor Chef Frederick Oh is the recipient of the 2023 Glenfiddich Chef of the Year Award. Professor Chef Leo Chan, along with Professor Gian Paolo Michelini, co-founded the Cambridge Food and Wine Society of Canada in 1988. He is also a founding member of the 8 Precious Pearls Research Group of Chinese food history. READ MORE |
| May 3 to May 11 (weekdays only) | 10 am to 6 pm | Asian Heritage Month: Art and Photo Exhibit at City Hall Library FREE ADMISSION EVENT LINK | City Hall Library, Toronto Public Library, 100 Queen Street West (Queen Street Subway Station) Google Maps | The exhibit is organized by Mr. Tam Kam Chiu, GMPSA (Grand Master, Photographic Society of America) and prize-winning author Dr. Lien Chao. READ MORE |
| May 2023 | Asian Heritage Month Education Roundtables (For schools only) | Toronto Catholic District School Board | “Once Upon A Time in Asia: cultural specific story or legend and what students can gain from folklores” For elementary and secondary schools Roundtable 1: Bo San Karantjas (Chinese Public Speaker and Entrepreneur) Veronica Antipolo (Filipino Comedian and Storyteller) Aneela Dias D’Sousa (Indian Ceramic Artist) Roundtable 2: Lajain Zo Al Ghena (Syrian Content Creator and English Teacher) Tan Vu (Vietnamese Singer and Actor) Laxmi Balaji ( Indian/Tamil Storyteller) READ MORE |
| Sun., May 14 to Friday, May 19, 2023 | Asian Heritage Month Art and Photo Exhibition at City Hall Rotunda FREE ADMISSION | City Hall Rotunda, 100 Queen Street West (Queen Street Subway Station) Google Maps | READ MORE |
| Sun., May 21 to Friday, May 26, 2023 | Asian Heritage Month Art and Photo Exhibition at Metro Hall Rotunda FREE ADMISSION | Metro Hall Rotunda, 55 John Street (St. Andrew Subway Station) Google Maps | READ MORE |
| Wed., May 17, 2023 | 7 pm | Annual Asian Heritage Month Concert FREE ADMISSION Please register at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/annual-asian-heritage-month-concert-tickets-631764032227 | Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto, 2 Sussex Avenue (St. George Subway Station) Google Maps | Artistic Directors: Professor Chan Ka Nin, Alice Ho, Dr. Vania Chan Performances by award-winning Asian Canadian Artists including singing, music and dance. READ MORE |
| May 2023 | Unity in Diversity: Asian Canadian Art/Storytelling Workshops for School Boards and for seniors (For schools and senior organization only) | In-person and virtual events for schools and seniors organizations | Chinese Calligraphy and Traditional Cultural Values To Decorate Unwanted CD & DVD by Irene Hung and Dr. Lien Chao READ MORE Stories from Asian Festivals by Arlene Chan |
| Sat., May 27, 2023 | 2 pm | Recycled & Found Material Art Workshop FREE ADMISSION Please register on the 2nd Floor Info Desk at Agincourt Library or call 416-396-8943 to reserve your spot. | Agincourt Branch, Toronto Public Library, 155 Bonis Avenue Google Maps | This presentation will engage the audience from the very beginning with a unique artistic installation of egg shells, which is entitled “The Seed of Life.” From here, the artists take the participants to review tech boom, urbanization and global-warming. Together they ask a serious environmental question: how can we cut down the amount of abandoned materials from garbage bins and dumpsters to landfills? Presenters: Irene Hung and Dr. Lien Chao READ MORE |
| Sun. May 28, 2023 | 2pm | Boundary Crossings: A Virtual Art & Poetry Presentation by Sharon Cook & Lien Chao | Virtual Event https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86854074136?pwd=Vkc4bHpWZW1SQ0xKSjNxRzFFTUhCQT09 Meeting ID: 868 5407 4136 Passcode: 910552 | Sharon Cook depicts Saint Luke in the Renaissance style and Venus of 1525 in her classical Chinese landscape paintings READ MORE |
| (TBC) Asian Heritage Month Film Festival |
Event co-organizers: Asian Heritage Month—Canadian Foundation for Asian Culture (Central Ontario) Inc.; Toronto Public Library; Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto; Richard Charles Lee Canada Hong Kong Library, University of Toronto; Chinese Canadian Photography Society of Toronto; WE Artists’ Group; Social Services Network; Cambridge Food and Wine Society
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
List of Supporters of Asian Heritage Month
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 WE Artists Association