The Official Establishment of the Youth Division of FCA

Marking the emergence of a new generation of Chinese youth leaders.

The Federation of Chinese Associations in Victoria (FCA) was established in 1979 in Australia's Victoria state. Currently comprising over 180 member associations, it serves as a collective body of Chinese community organizations in Victoria. Throughout its existence, the Federation has upheld the principles of unity among Chinese people, advocacy for their rights, promotion of Chinese culture, and provision of social services to the Chinese community.

With the aim of uniting and rallying the vast number of young Chinese individuals, and providing a platform for communication, learning, and growth, where young people can unleash their talents and potentials and contribute to the development of the Chinese community, the FCA decided to establish a Youth Division. On the evening of May 4th, 2024, at 7:00 PM, coinciding with Youth Day (China), the Inaugural Ceremony of the Youth Division of FCA was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in the heart of Melbourne. Hundreds of guests arrived punctually to witness this significant moment together.

The distinguished guests in attendance, but not limited to (in no particular order), included: Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece of the City of Melbourne, Consul-General Fang Xin of the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Melbourne, Councillor Kevin Louey of the City of Melbourne, Councillor Liu Le, former President of the FCA Zhong Fuxi, the 15th Karmapa Rinpoche of Tibetan Buddhism, Permanent Honorary President Li Hui of the Queensland Chinese Federation, Chairman of the Hongmen Minzhi Party Wu Songda, President of the Australian Chinese Liaison Association Hong Shaoping, Executive Chairman Alex Lim of the Australian Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, former President of the Whitehorse Business Group Zheng Yutang, former Mayor of Darebin City Jiang Tianlin, President Huang Junyu of the Australian Capital Fujian Chamber of Commerce, Executive Vice President Wu Penghui of the Australian Capital Fujian Chamber of Commerce, Principal Li Shujun of the Xin Jin Shan Chinese Language and Culture School, President Ao Leixueyuan of the Inner Mongolia Association, Honorary President Zheng Xiaojun of the Australian Fujian Association, President Huang Zhuang of the Australian Guangdong Association, Honorary President Hu Dongyuan of the Australian Jiangmen Chamber of Commerce, Chairman Jiang Zhaoqing of Fujing Group, President Liu Hongrui of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, and President Wang Bihong of the Whitehorse Business Group.

The Inaugural Ceremony was co-hosted by Wang Yingmiao, Deputy Secretary-General of the FCA Youth Division, and Zhang Xinyan. As the conference commenced, Chen Yunguo, the 32nd Chairman of the FCA, announced the official establishment of the FCA Youth Division. He also announced the appointment of former President of the Victorian Legislative Council, Bruce Atkinson, as a senior advisor to the Federation. Additionally, Chairman Chen announced the establishment of the Chinese Legal Advisory Committee and the Chinese Community Development Steering Committee, both initiated by the Federation. Chairman Chen extended a sincere welcome to all guests, stating, "Today's conference is a grand event in the history of our Chinese community's development, marking a new phase in our community's progress. I believe that with everyone's collective efforts, the Youth Division, Chinese Legal Advisory Committee, and Chinese Community Development Steering Committee of the FCA will undoubtedly make greater contributions to the development of our Chinese community."

Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece extended warm greetings to the guests present and mentioned: "Melbourne is a young, vibrant, and incredibly diverse city. The reason why so many young people come to Melbourne is because it is a city full of opportunities where dreams can come true. Today, at the establishment ceremony of the Youth Division, I see endless hope. I see young people full of talent, ambition, lofty aspirations, and a commitment to progress. The Melbourne City Council will work closely with the Federation and the Youth Division to create the best conditions for young people and support each and every one of their successes."

On May 4th, which is China's Youth Day, Mr. Fang Xin, the newly appointed Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Melbourne, warmly congratulated the establishment of the FCA’s Youth Division and extended his holiday greetings to all members of the Youth Division. He remarked, "The hope of the nation lies in the youth, and the future of the nation depends on the youth. In China, we have always regarded the youth as the vanguard force driving social development. In Victoria, the future of the Chinese community also lies in the youth. The establishment of the Youth Division of the FCA has injected new vitality and brought fresh blood to the local Chinese community. The Consulate-General of China in Melbourne will continue to support the development of various undertakings of the local Chinese community and provide high-quality and efficient services to the vast number of Chinese residents and overseas Chinese in the consular district."

Afterwards, Chairman Yunguo Chen presented a letter of appointment to President of the Youth Division of FCA, Chunjiang Wu. President Wu expressed excitement in his speech: “The youth bear the mission of cultural inheritance and integration. In today's world, artificial intelligence has accelerated social progress, its influence extending beyond objects and into the human spirit. For the younger generation, the concepts of employment and entrepreneurship have been redefined. The real world and the virtual world are gradually converging, and cloud communities and AI fashion will become new trends. The establishment of the Youth Division will serve as a platform for young people to showcase their youthful ideas, create opportunities for learning and exchange with their predecessors, and bridge the gap between campus and society.”

After the inspiring speeches, the lion dance troupe brought a vibrant and enthusiastic lion dance performance, which immediately livened up the atmosphere.

Next was the panel discussions, hosted by Secretary General of the Youth Division of FCA, Lavender Xiao. The topic for the first panel was "How to help the younger generation develop their careers". The guests were: Melbourne City Councilor - Le Liu, Executive Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Australia - Alex Lim, Executive Director of Charter Keck Cramer - Ivan Lam, and Holder East Regional Development Director - Ryan Jenkins. Their advice is: For the younger generation of Chinese to achieve better development and a brighter future in Melbourne, they must recognize and integrate into the local society while not forgetting their roots and heritage. With more effort, wisdom, and global engagement, they can certainly create more opportunities for themselves in their respective fields.

Before the second panel discussion, Chen Yunguo, Chairman of the FCA, presented certificates to the consultants of the Chinese Legal Advisory Committee. Four lawyers - Jack Dalziel, Leonard Hartnett, Peter Michalopoulos, Yianni Zaparas, and legal translator James Li came on stage to receive the certificates. Afterwards, Jack Dalziel, Peter Michalopoulos and James Li jointly conducted the second panel discussion "Legal Awareness and Legal Protection". They mentioned that the primary reference for morality and law always stems from the values of one's original family. Today, the legal issues faced by the Chinese community are not limited to immigration law but have expanded into broader areas as the Chinese community takes root and grows. These areas include family law, consumer rights, labour law, and more. The significance of establishing the Chinese Legal Advisory Committee lies in helping individuals find the appropriate legal aid organizations when they encounter problems.

Next came an important moment in the conference. Chairman Chen, along with President Wu took the stage to present certificates to the members of FCA Youth Division's board. The recipients were: Executive Vice President Wang Xiangzhi, Secretary General Xiao Zinan, Deputy Secretary General Wang Yingmiao, Vice Presidents Li Zeji, He Zilong, Chen Jianhao, Liu Ruiyang, Li Hongyuan, Chairman Fu Dong, and board members Chen Yueshui, Song Jin, Ye Mingjian, Ma Qingyue, and Zhang Lingzhi. They then joined student representative Peter from the Piano Apartments to perform an inspiring rendition of "The Lone Brave," their resolute and energetic spirit deeply moving the audience.

Afterward, Chairman Chen Yunguo presented certificates to the advisors of the Chinese Community Development Steering Committee. The advisors are: former President of the FCA, Zhong Fuxi; Permanent Honorary President of the Queensland Chinese Federation, Li Hui; Permanent Honorary Chairman of the FCA, Wang Weiyu; People's Ambassador of Australia, Zhao Jiebao; former Mayor of Darebin City Victoria, Jiang Tianlin; Chairman of the Australian Chinese Liaison Association, Hong Shaoping; President of the Inner Mongolia Association, Ao Leixueyuan; former President of the Whitehorse Business Group, Zheng Yutang; Honorary President of the Australian Fujian Association, Zheng Xiaojun; Honorary President of the Australian Jiangmen Chamber of Commerce, Hu Dongyuan; Chairman of Fojing Group, Jiang Zhaoqing; Community Director of Australian Ocean Media Group, Xie Qiang; President of the Australian Guangdong Association, Huang Zhuang; and Chairman of Shunkang Holdings Group, He Xinming.

At the end of the conference, members of the Youth Division of FCA and some directors of the FCA sang a moving song "Unforgettable Tonight". This performance expressed their gratitude to the guests in attendance and conveyed their commitment to working together to create an even brighter future for the Federation and its Youth Division.

The Inaugural Ceremony of the Youth Division of FCA came to a successful conclusion. This grand event not only marked the official establishment of the Youth Division of FCA, it also signifies the creation of a more comprehensive system enabling it to better support the development of member associations and the Chinese community!"

文：Anna王映淼

图：James城城

译：Sarah 夏舒婷