Federation of Chinese Associations in Victoria launched the renovation completion and reopening ceremony of its new office on the morning of 30th March, 2012. Consul General Shi Weiqiang attended and addressed the ceremony at invitation. Around 40 persons participated, including the Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Minister of Victoria Nicholas Kotsiras, the Chairman of Victorian Multiculturalism Commission Chin Tan, City Councillor of Melbourne Ken Ong as well as former FCA presidents and membership units representatives. FCA president Vincent Chow presided the ceremony.
Vice Consul General Huang Fengwen and Consul Zhang Xiaotao were present at the ceremony.
Consul General Shi's address in full text is as following:
The Hon. Nicholas Kotsiras,
Mr. Chin Tan,
Cr. Ken Ong,
Mr. Vincent Chow,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is my great pleasure to attend the opening ceremony today. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Consulate-General, I extend my warm congratulations to the Federation of Chinese Associations on the official opening of the newly renovated office of FCA.
The Federation of Chinese Associations is unique and different from other Chinese societies in Victoria. As an inter-association organization, it effectively combines nearly 70 member associations into one. The unity gives it irreplaceable and unique influence among Victorian Chinese communities. In the past three decades since its founding, in whatever situations, its members always stick together as tightly as a fist and have accomplished remarkable achievements in assisting Chinese immigrants to fuse into the local society, promoting traditional and contemporary Chinese culture, pushing forward people-to-people exchanges between China and Australia and etc. Along with other Chinese societies, the Federation of Chinese Associations has made the entire Chinese community an integral part of Victoria's colorful multicultural landscape.
Meanwhile, I also want to express my appreciation to state governments and local councils in Victoria for your persistent adoption of multiculturalism which enables the local Chinese communities to preserve and promote its cultural heritage, while live in harmony with other communities.
Finally, I wish the Federation of Chinese Associations could take full advantage of the new office and make more contributions to the welfare of the local Chinese, to the multicultural development in Victoria and to the friendly relations between China and Australia.
