Honourable Guests, Distinguished Delegates, Fellow Members and Gentlemen:
On behalf of the Organizing Committee of The Third International Conference of Wah Yan Past Students Associations, I warmly welcome you all to this opening ceremony. This is indeed an impressive gathering of distinguished people from many parts of the world with the same Wah Yan Spirit.
The International Conference has a history of six years. It was first organized in 1988 to strengthen the basic structure of individual association for more aggressive operations in the promotion of friendship and cooperations amongst past students throughout the world.
The theme of the first Conference in December, 1988 in Hong Kong was “Wah Yan Family Around the World” and that of the second Conference in August, 1990 in Vancouver was “Unity is Strength; Strength Unity.” This time our them is “Wah Yan Spirit.” I am confident that at the conclusion of this Conference all of us will be greatly benefitted from the views expressed.
It is with my good wishes for every success for this International Conference that I now declare it open.
Honourable Guests, Distinguished Delegates, Fellow Members and Gentlemen:
In the last few days we were able to exchange views and compare experiences and what is not least, to renew old friendships and make new ones.
From this Conference you will return stimulated and refreshed, bringing back with you not only understanding and enlightenment, but also many happy memories and some lasting friendships.
This International Conference has been made possible only with the advice, support and cooperation from many Wahyanites. For this, I must thank the two school principals who do not only accepting our invitation to address the Conference but also permit the hosting of this Conference in the two schools. I must also thank members of the Organizing Committee, Council Members of the two Past Students Associations. Last but not least, I must thank you all, particularly those from overseas, for your attendance and contributions in the discussion.
I now declare The Third International Conference close. We shall meet again in two years' time.
It gives me great pleasure to announce that The Fourth International Conference of The Wah Yan Past Students Association will be held in 1994 in San Francisco, California, USA.
This monograph contains the proceedings of the third international conference of past students associations of Wah Yan. It is simple and brief. The conference itself also had a short agenda. Yet the implications of the conference go well beyond the nostalgic emotions conveyed in the written presentations and the official and dry words of the minutes of the two sessions.
Wah Yan has gone international. We now have alumni associations in 13 locations around the world. The number of our alumni migrating overseas has been increasing. Every year, scores and dozens of students in Wah Yan are also leaving Hong Kong with their parents for migration. The biennial international conferences provide an opportunity for us not only to share our experience as migrants overseas, but also to reflect on the extent to which we can make use of our education in Wah Yan for the well being of the community we now live in.
While the gradual dispersion of our alumni
from Hong Kong to alien lands may look depressing
and the departure of students
half way through their education may sound discouraging,
this trend of development,
a phenomenon reflecting the rapid changes
in social, economic and political conditions
in Hong Kong, China and the new world,
has other positive values.
As the ones who are directly involved in this process of change,
if we can pool our strength together,
under the spirit of Wah Yan,
we can contribute positively to the well being of the world.
When Wah Yan was first established in Hong Kong in 1919,
it was one year after the First World War
which had caused much tumult all over Europe.
It was eight years after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty.
China was still in great chaos,
searching even until today for a way
to move from a feudal to a modern democratic society.
With a British government on Chinese soil since 1842,
Hong Kong had been providing a haven for those
who wished to be away from the chaos.
It also provided opportunities
for the waves of Chinese
who made their way to Hong Kong
including our own selves
to be exposed to an education and way of life
under the Christian ethos.
The Jesuits, as expounded in Norman So's presentation,
have since the days of Mateo Ricci,
the first Christian to exert influence on China,
shown respect for Chinese culture and traditions
while introducing Christianity.
Wah Yan, through the dedicated work of the Jesuits
has in all these years educated generations of Chinese students
who are bilingual, conversant in both English and Chinese;
bicultural, knowledgeable on both traditional Chinese culture
and the Christian ethos;
and in the past decades perhaps even bi-political,
with exposure to the way of life in a communist country
while living in a highly capitalistic society.
It is no surprise that many of our alma mater
have become leading figures in the civil service,
the professions and in the business community.
But, alas, all through these years,
mainly because of political tumult,
the Japanese invasion into and communist rule in China,
few if any of our alumni had the opportunity
of contributing in a direct way to recent developments in China.
The change of immigration policy in the new world
of North America and Australia in the late 1950's
provided the opportunities and attractions
for many of our alumni to emigrate.
They were attracted by the better opportunities for education,
a more stable government,
higher standard of living
and better quality of life.
With the bilingual and bicultural background,
those who migrated in the 60's and 70's
as expounded in the presentations by Vancouver, Alberta and Ontario
had no difficulty to settle down and assimilate into their new homes.
The opening up of China since the late 70's had also put in a new dimension on the development of our alumni. The growing opportunities for commerce, industry and professional developments have since created new pattems of interaction and communication among China, Hong Kong and the new world. Unlike their predecessors in the 60's and 70's, migrants to the new world in the 80's often keep their ties with Hong Kong and China, both culturally and financially. The place of work, location for education, home base for the family, for themselves as well as their children are no longer bound to one single geographical location. It is not uncommon to see our alumni with their business in China, their home base in Hong Kong and their children receiving education in the new world.
This changing pattern in the way of life is not just confined to our alumni. It is an emerging world trend, the combined result of ease in international travel, developments in information technology and the changing world economic order. With only few exceptions, all countries in the world now place emphasis on and show respect to diversities in culture, religion, language, way of life and others. The world is gradually developing into a global community characterized by such diversities. In this process of change, the world is looking for leaders with multi-lingual and multi-cultural up-bringing, experience of living in the old and the new world and the outlook for transforming the world into a genuine global community. Yet, at this critical stage of development, how regrettable it is, the Jesuits, the founder of Wah Yan do not have the human resources to run the schools in Hong Kong in a way they had wished three quarters of a century before.
However, with our alumni growing from strength to strength, with the spirit imparted to us through our education in Wah Yan and with our multi-linkages among Hong Kong, China and the new world, we have been playing an important role as bridges between the east and the west.
It is in this context that I find our biennial international conference most meaningful. They provide us the means in pooling our strength together under the spirit of Wah Yan. I am sure we can and will in the years to come contribute in a more concrete way in the development of not only ourselves but also the world into a harmonious and peaceful global community.
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If you would like to supply any extra information about this conference, please contact ic2002@wahyan.ca. Thank you. |