The Canadian Ambassador to China, Mr. John McCallum’s Remarks
Ambassador’s Remarks: Distinguished guests, dear students and teachers, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
It is truly an honor to be here with you today. I arrived in Beijing about ten days ago, and was fortunate to be able to meet with President Xi on my first full day of work to officially present my diplomatic credentials. My team at the Embassy have been keeping me very busy, and it is really a pleasure to be able to join you here today.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Canadian delegation to the China International Education Exposition and Tour at the Agricultural Exhibition Centre, and met with many young Chinese students interested in pursuing schooling in Canada. Today’s event highlights another important facet of the learning links between Canada and China, that of Canadian-curriculum schools. As a former educator myself, I am a great believer in the formative and transformative power of education.
On behalf of the Embassy of Canada, I would like to offer my very sincere congratulations to the Beijing Concord College of Sino-Canada for 20 years of hard work, and overcoming challenges with successes. Well done, BCCSC!
I would like to single out one person without whom none of us would be gathered here today. This person is a man of vision, conviction, and determination in pursuing his goals through thick and thin to bring about a concretization of that vision.
The vision was to bring people closer together, to educate, and to instill a love of learning to generations of young minds.
The conviction was that through education, the peoples of Canada and China could look past what separated them and focus on what can bring the best out of both of them.
The determination was what allowed this man to bridge gaps, mend fences, build alliances, face and overcome daily challenges.
That man is Dr. Francis Pang. Congratulations, and thank you, Dr. Pang!
The concretization of that vision? Very simple: I am looking at it right now, all of you. Here you are. You and 24 other schools in the network of Concord schools in China.
Dr. Pang helped to create the conditions for success but his vision and efforts were also matched by those of many other people without whom we also would not be gathered here today.
The team, the partners from both Canada and China, the school principals, the administrators, the teachers and staff, the parents, and most importantly the students. All of you shared in that vision and determination, and all of you contributed to making the BCCSC and other Concord schools what they are today, 20 years later. It could not have been done without you. Well done to you all, and congratulations!
I also happen to believe that education is a key pillar of the Canada-China relationship, and it is a unique and exceptionally important bridge between cultures.
As recently as last September, when they witnessed the signing of the first Canada-China agreement on education cooperation, both Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li also affirmed their strong belief - that international education exchanges create strong people-to-people links which are key to the ongoing development of Canada-China ties.
These links increase our citizens’ understanding of each other’s culture and values. They also create bridges which enable greater cooperation, cultural, academic and scientific exchanges, trade and investment, and aid our ability to mutually prosper in the global economy.
It is for this reason that we at the Embassy of Canada and in our network of offices across China are working hard to help build linkages between Chinese and Canadian schools at all levels, and to promote greater flows of students in both directions.
Concord schools are a key part of our education community and, for their many students and the communities in which they operate, they are also a window on Canada, a piece of Canada brought to China.
The 20th anniversary of BCCSC marks a milestone of course, but let us look back at what else has been accomplished in the last 20 years:
25 schools. 12,000 students currently enrolled. 14,000 alumni.
These schools and students are located throughout China, and a large number of their more recent alumni are still abroad pursuing post-secondary education, a majority of them in Canada. These students all have the potential to become goodwill ambassadors between our two countries, each in their chosen area.
They – and all of you gathered here today – will help make an already close and friendly relationship even deeper.
Once again, my sincere congratulations to BCCSC and the Concord family for successfully reaching this milestone. My very best wishes to all the students and their families!
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学校地址:北京市通州区丛林庄园 Conglin, Zhuangyuan, Tongzhou District, Beijing, China.
邮编/Zip:101118 | 电话/Tel:(010)89598881,89598882,89598883,89598886
传真/Fax:(86-10)89599055 | E-Mail:admissions@beijingccsc.com
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