Chinese cultural heritage week to be held in Vancouver, Canada

The Chinese Cultural Heritage Week will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia of Canada on July 20-26, the Canadian Community Service Association said Wednesday.

British Columbia is a culturally diverse province comprising many peoples and communities in Canada.

Over the last 200 years, Chinese immigrants have brought a rich cultural heritage representing many languages, ethnicities and religious traditions to British Columbian society, and despite facing adversity, Chinese Canadians have helped to enrich British Columbia's communities and economy, with their achievements firmly woven into the province's history, according to a proclamation by Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Janet Austin.

People of Asian heritage have faced a rise in racially motivated physical and verbal attacks since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that the government of British Columbia is committed to addressing along with all other forms of racism and hate, said the proclamation.

In 2020, the association, which has collected a large volume of protective equipment for front-line medical workers to contribute to the province's efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, will host the Chinese Cultural Heritage Week virtually from July 20 to 26 to celebrate the significant contributions made to arts, cuisine, music and heritage in British Columbia by generations of Chinese Canadians, it added.

The government of British Columbia and the City of Vancouver are committed to establishing a Chinese Canadian Museum that honors the past and present contributions of British Columbians of Chinese descent to the province, and everyone is invited to learn more about the many stories of Chinese Canadians who, throughout history, have done so much to make British Columbia the culturally diverse and prosperous province it is today, said the proclamation.