May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada, an opportunity to highlight, celebrate and learn more about the important contributions of a broad and incredibly diverse group of communities that span East Asia, Southern Asia, Western, Central and Southeast Asia.
Asian Heritage Month provides a space to recognize and honour the impact members of Asian communities have made — and continue to make — within the university. Throughout May, we will share stories and hold events that celebrate the triumphs, discuss the challenges and recognize the contributions of faculty, researchers, students and staff of Asian heritage.
The university has deep and important ties with many diverse Asian diasporas; you can see signs of these connections across our campuses. For example, a trip to the Mactaggart Art Collection provides members of our community with unparalleled access to rare pieces of ancient and modern Chinese art. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the collection's Echoes of Thunder exhibit, which delves into the origins of the Chinese dragon. It is extraordinary. I encourage you to see the exhibit, which runs until the end of June.
Similarly, a trip to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden provides an opportunity to explore both traditional Islamic Garden designs, as well as the Kurimoto Japanese Garden.
Throughout May, the “What I want you to know about Asian Heritage Month” campaign will also run across the U of A's social media channels. I want to thank the many individuals who shared their stories and lived experiences with us, and I encourage you to show your support by engaging with these posts.
Bill Flanagan
President and Vice-Chancellor