On February 1, 2025, the Canada Jilin Association, Canada Jilin General Chamber of Commerce, Canada Changchun Fellow Association and Northeast Normal University Canada Alumni Association jointly held the Jilin Fellow Spring Festival Gathering with great success!
The event brought together many Jilin fellows in Canada and old and new friends who studied and lived in Jilin. Multiple federal and municipal councilors attended to congratulate. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Jilin anniversary. The event also featured the Jilin Association senior mobile photography exhibition, making the event full of hometown warmth, highlights, and constant laughter.
20th Anniversary of the Jilin Association, Grateful for the Journey
This year marks the Canada Jilin Association's 20th anniversary. A carefully produced 20-year retrospective video was played. Founding President Gong Mengnan emotionally reviewed the hardships and achievements, becoming choked up recalling scenes from 20 years ago. As Jilin fellow Suni wrote in the fellows' group: "(At the Jilin Association founding meeting) many classmates, neighbors, and friends met there, surprised, shouting, crying, all mixed together. The unexpected encounter in a foreign land, loneliness, and homesickness all vanished in an instant."
York Regional Councillor He Hujing, Richmond Hill Councillor Cui Binghui, Markham Councillor Yang Qiqing, and current Jilin Association President Yang Guang jointly presented awards to founding merit representatives Gong Mengnan, Jiang Zuqing, Shi Shengli, Jin Chun'ai, and May Hou.presented "20-Year Community Service Honor Certificates" to express all Jilin fellows' gratitude to the founding members for their twenty years of contribution!
Dumpling-Making to Share Hometown Bonds, Celebrating the Festival with Councilors
The essential dumplings for the Northeastern New Year's Eve dinner: Jilin fellow volunteers gathered early to hand-make dumplings. Preparing steaming dumplings for over 200 people was no easy task, but the volunteers worked efficiently with laughter. MP Jiang Zhenyu, Richmond Hill Deputy Mayor Chen Zhihui, Councillor Cui Binghui and Jilin Association Vice President Jason Gao joined volunteers to make dumplings and celebrate the New Year.
Senior Photography Exhibition: Discovering Beautiful Moments, Sharing the World
The mobile photography and videography training program for middle-aged and elderly immigrant friends, initiated by the Jilin Association's senior department, lasted over half a year, including on-site training, online teaching, and outdoor photography sessions. All exhibited entries were from photography enthusiasts aged 60 and above.works, with the oldest at 90 years old.
Wonderful Performances, Cultural Fusion
The highlight of the Jilin Fellow Spring Festival Gathering was naturally the diverse program of performances, including melodious songs, violin and piano performances, folk dances, and humorous skits that won rounds of applause. The Jilin Association's senior art troupe opened with "My Motherland and Me", Toronto Arirang Dance Troupe's Korean traditional dance added cultural diversity.