Asian Heritage Month is celebrated across Canada during May. It is a time to reflect on the many contributions Canadians of Asian origin, who comprise nearly 20 per cent of the Canadian population, have made and continue to make to the growth and prosperity of Canada and to celebrate the lasting contributions of this diverse, vibrant, and growing community to our culture and society.
This May, we also take pause to remember the victims of the mass tragedy in Vancouver that claimed the lives of 11 people attending a Filipino-Canadian cultural festival. Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and friends impacted by this shocking event at a neighbourhood community festival on April 26.
Here at APF Canada, we continue to support the bridges connecting Canada’s different communities and the peoples, economies, and institutions of the Asia Pacific. This month, you will see several activities and initiatives that will provide Canadians with an opportunity to learn more about people of Asian origin in Canada and the opportunities for all Canadians in the dynamic economies of Asia.
- We invite you to join us in person or virtually for our partner event with the Canadian Ambassadors Alumni Association and the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa on May 12 for a foreign policy conference entitled Finding Canada's Place in a Disordered World exploring the unprecedented challenges currently confronting Canada’s prosperity, security, and sovereignty.
- Also in Ottawa, we invite you to register for our in-person, co-sponsored symposium with Canada-ASEAN Initiatives at the University of Ottawa on May 15. Deepening Canada-ASEAN Security Cooperation in the Face of Geopolitical Headwinds will bring together academic, business and government stakeholders to discuss ways to strengthen Canada-ASEAN security co-operation with a focus on Southeast Asia.
- This month, our Asia Regional Office based in Singapore – with programming across the Indo-Pacific region – will begin operations. Some new programs have already been launched, including our Indo-Pacific Research Fellows, Indo-Pacific Visiting Scholars, and Indo-Pacific Media Fellows programs . . . with more to come.
- Building on our women’s business mission series to Asia, the Foundation is currently planning the Indigenous Meeting on Pacific and Arctic Climate and Trade (IMPACT) in partnership with the Sasakawa Peace Foundation at Osaka Expo 2025 this summer. The meeting will focus on bringing together Indigenous communities from the Pacific and Arctic regions to promote sustainable trade practices that respect Indigenous rights and cultures, facilitate the exchange of traditional knowledge and experiences related to the mitigation of climate change, and develop new collaborative strategies to enhance resilience to climate change. Learn more about this program and how to apply by visiting our IMPACT web page.
- We are also rolling out Phase Two of the APEC–Canada Growing Business Partnership project, funded by Global Affairs Canada. This program promotes inclusive economic growth for women- and youth-led MSMEs in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. This year’s activities will include business management workshops, mentorship programs, and targeted policy engagement to help improve the enabling environment for MSMEs across the Indo-Pacific.
- We also encourage you to explore our Anti-Racism Resources page for combatting anti-Asian racism and learning about Canadians of Asian descent, our Asia Pacific Curriculum project providing Asia-focused resources for Canadian teachers and students interested in Asian Canadian history, the Kakehashi Project promoting exchanges for students and young professionals in Japan and Canada, and our Canada-Asia Young Professionals program for young Canadians interested in understanding and advancing Canada’s relationships with the countries and peoples of Asia.
- And please visit our podcast page for new episodes of Asia Pacific Conversations this month featuring conversations with prominent Asian-Canadians contributing to the peace and prosperity of Canada and strengthening relations with the peoples and institutions of Asia.
Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the diversity that is one of Canada’s greatest strengths. We encourage you to take time this month to recognize the many contributions of people of Asian origin in Canada and engage with our work supporting growth and prosperity for Canadians through deepened engagement with dynamic Asia.
– The APF Canada Team
