Taking Root | Montreal Chapter Established and First Mingde Culture Forum Held

On November 12, 2023, the establishment and flag presentation ceremony of the Montreal Chapter of the RUC North America Alumni Association was held in Montreal. Professor Zheng Xinye, Vice President of Renmin University of China, delivered a video address. The ceremony was attended by Wu Yafeng, President of the RUC North America Alumni Association, and Liu Jing, Vice President of the Association. Jiao Kai, Du Ming, and Li Yongkang, Consuls at the Consulate General of China in Montreal, attended and offered congratulations. More than 50 guests from Montreal’s Chinese community, academia, and cultural circles, along with RUC alumni in the region, attended the event.

The RUC North America Alumni Association is headquartered in New York. Prior to the establishment of the Montreal Chapter, the Association had established Chapters in Atlanta and Houston. The Montreal Chapter marks the first expansion of the Association’s directly affiliated Chapter network into Canada. This not only gives fuller meaning to “North America” in the Association’s name, but also brings the total number of RUC alumni organizations across North America to 12. Its establishment is an important step toward better serving RUC alumni throughout North America and, in particular, strengthening friendship and solidarity among alumni in the U.S. East Coast and Eastern Canada.

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Vice President Zheng Xinye Sends Video Congratulations on the Establishment of the Montreal Chapter

Video Address by Vice President Zheng Xinye

In his video address, Vice President Zheng Xinye congratulated the Montreal Chapter on its establishment and the successful opening of the Mingde Culture Forum. He described the establishment of the Montreal Chapter as a new milestone, noting that the global RUC alumni family now had its 57th member.

He expressed hope that the Montreal Chapter would serve effectively as a bridge between Renmin University of China and its alumni in Canada, strengthen communication and cooperation between the University and Canadian alumni, and further promote exchanges and collaboration between Renmin University and Canada in education, culture, and academia, contributing to the University’s goal of becoming a world-class university with Chinese characteristics.

He also welcomed alumni to return to China and visit their alma mater, saying, “Renmin University of China will always be a home and a spiritual harbor for every alumnus and alumna.”

Wu Yafeng, President of the RUC North America Alumni Association, warmly welcomed the guests and alumni and expressed his appreciation to the alumni who had worked diligently to organize the event.

He introduced the Association’s development since its founding, including its efforts to establish a sound legal, regulatory, and institutional framework, connect alumni and expand its network, and serve the broader community. He also reviewed the achievements of the Mingde Forum over the past nine years and the recognition the Association has received from various sectors of society. He conveyed President Lin Shangli’s recognition and message of encouragement to the RUC North America Alumni Association and the Mingde Forum.

On behalf of the Association’s Council, Wu Yafeng announced the formal establishment of the Montreal Chapter and appointed Tian Tian (Class of 1999) as President and Chang Jieya (Class of 2001) as Vice President and Secretary-General.

He expressed his hope that the Montreal Chapter would uphold Renmin University’s motto of “seeking truth from facts,” carry forward the RUC alumni tradition of caring for the country and the world, abide by laws and regulations, unite all forces that can be brought together, serve alumni effectively, and build a bridge of friendship between China and Canada. He also encouraged the Chapter to become a welcoming alumni home built on solidarity, friendship, mutual support, and shared growth.

Wu Yafeng and Liu Jing then presented the Chapter flag to the Montreal Chapter, with Tian Tian and Chang Jieya accepting it on behalf of the Chapter.

Tian Tian, President of the Montreal Chapter, expressed her gratitude for the trust and support of the RUC North America Alumni Association and RUC alumni in Montreal. She introduced the process leading to the establishment of the Chapter and the motivation behind organizing the Mingde Culture Forum.

She said that, at this particular moment in history and in Quebec, a province with a distinctive cultural and historical background, RUC alumni hoped to make a modest contribution to exchanges between China and Canada in culture, education, the arts, and the economy. Through the Montreal Chapter and the Mingde Culture Forum, she hoped to strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the alumni association, Montreal’s Chinese community, and Canada’s academic and educational circles.

Chang Jieya, Vice President and Secretary-General of the Montreal Chapter, thanked community members and guests from various sectors for their encouragement and support, as well as the Council of the RUC North America Alumni Association for its trust and guidance in establishing the Montreal Chapter.

She reflected warmly on her years at the University and the enduring sense of strength and inspiration drawn from the RUC alumni community. She said that she would live up to the trust placed in her, continue working to unite and serve alumni, and carry forward the culture and values of Renmin University of China.

Cao Shoukang, a prominent community leader in Montreal and President of the United Chinese Association of Montreal, delivered congratulatory remarks. He said that the establishment of the Montreal Chapter had brought new energy to Montreal’s Chinese community and would provide more opportunities and platforms for RUC alumni and the broader Chinese community in Montreal, promoting interaction and exchange in areas such as academia and culture.

Chang Li, President of the Nankai University Alumni Association of Montreal, delivered remarks on behalf of the alumni associations of major Chinese universities in Montreal. She congratulated the RUC North America Alumni Association on the establishment of its Montreal Chapter and welcomed opportunities for the RUC alumni community and alumni associations of other universities to organize joint activities.

Wang Zailin, representing the Zhejiang University Alumni Association, presented a calligraphic and artistic work created on site as a congratulatory gift, celebrating the establishment of the RUC North America Alumni Association’s Montreal Chapter.

First Mingde Culture Forum

Following the establishment ceremony, the first Mingde Culture Forum was held in Montreal.

Founded by the RUC North America Alumni Association in 2015, the Mingde Forum is a flagship platform that combines academic insight with practical perspectives while embracing openness and diversity. On November 11, the Forum successfully held its ninth annual meeting in New York. Read the report on Mingde Forum 2023

The Mingde Forum focuses on current issues, provides a platform for exchange, and promotes mutual learning and dialogue. It has also contributed to enhancing Renmin University’s international influence and global voice.

The Mingde Culture Forum is a sub-forum of the Mingde Forum, based in Montreal, widely recognized as one of North America’s most multicultural cities. The theme of the inaugural Culture Forum was “Taking Root Overseas: Chinese Culture and Its Integration into Multicultural Societies.”

Chinese calligrapher Nie Junsheng, a member of the Chinese Calligraphers Association, and Professor Zhang Tongdao, renowned Chinese documentary filmmaker and Director of the Documentary Center at Beijing Normal University, sent video congratulations on the establishment of the Montreal Chapter and the opening of the Mingde Culture Forum.

Five distinguished guests from Montreal’s academic, collecting, educational, and cultural communities delivered presentations.

Wang Guojun, Associate Professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at McGill University, spoke on “Chinese Students in North America and China and the World in the 20th Century.” He reviewed the history of Chinese students studying abroad and explored their role in cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world from the late Qing period to the modern era.

Zhang Qiang, President of the Canadian Association for Chinese Antique and Art Collectors, brought two exceptionally valuable works to the Forum: a Qianlong-period famille-rose celestial globe vase decorated with a dragon amid waves, cliffs, and clouds, and Zhang Daqian’s imitation of Wang Ximeng’s A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains. Their presence added a special cultural dimension to the event. Zhang also delivered a presentation titled “The Role of Antiques in the Transmission of Traditional Chinese Culture.”

He Lingheng, a master’s graduate of the School of Chinese Classics at Renmin University of China and a Ph.D. candidate in East Asian Studies at McGill University, spoke on “Three Questions About Chinese Classics: My Journey from RUC to the Study of Sinology Overseas.” With an engaging and humorous presentation, he elicited frequent laughter and applause while offering the audience new perspectives on the study of Chinese culture.

Samuel Gagnon, representing the principal of Sainte-Anne School, gave a presentation titled “The Importance of Multilingual and Multicultural Education During Adolescence.” Sainte-Anne is one of the oldest elite private schools in North America, founded 40 years before Canadian Confederation, and holds a distinctive position in educational circles in Europe and North America. Its influence on European history and thought is also noteworthy. The school’s principal, Stéphane, has a strong interest in Chinese culture and has visited China seven times.

Zeng Hong, President of the Canadian Association for the Promotion of Traditional Chinese Culture, spoke on “Keeping China in Our Hearts, Passing the Tradition On.” Drawing on topics ranging from the Chinese cultural concept of family to the broader notions of country and the world, she explored ways to promote Chinese culture overseas. Her presentation offered a vivid reflection on the responsibility of overseas Chinese to preserve and share Chinese culture.

Fan Xiuqing, President of the Sichuan Chamber of Commerce and Sichuan Association of Fellow Provincials in Quebec, presented the Mingde Culture Forum with a congratulatory gift—a painting by Wu Xu, renowned as China’s foremost artist specializing in poetry, bamboo, and painting and an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of bamboo-leaf calligraphy.

Closing Remarks

Liu Jing, Vice President of the RUC North America Alumni Association, delivered the closing remarks. She warmly congratulated the Montreal Chapter on its establishment and the successful conclusion of the Mingde Culture Forum.

She said that, in this multicultural city, she had felt the warmth and solidarity of the local RUC alumni community. She thanked all the guests, alumni, and friends who participated in the event and expressed her hope that, through the platforms of the Montreal Chapter and the RUC North America Alumni Association as a whole, alumni would continue to share resources and experiences, learn from one another, and grow together.

She encouraged everyone to cherish the gathering of that day and continue moving forward in their respective fields.

Also in attendance were leaders and representatives of the Montreal alumni associations of Nankai University, Zhejiang University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Sichuan University, and other Chinese universities.