ETHNOPRESS 2006.
REPORT BY THE PRESIDENT
Dear
friends and colleagues, brothers and sisters in the ethnic press and
media,
Celebrations
of “Ethno press 2006”, already are history. A series of well-organized
and very successful events, that gave us every reason and opportunity to
be proud for our organization, our sector and ourselves.
The L.
Governor’s event was fantastic as all our invitees share with their
friends a memorable evening. As a result we had the great honour of
getting an official acknowledgement in the legislative assembly of
Ontario, by the Mr. Frank Klees, MPP, (Oak Ridges), representative of the
leader of the official opposition and the PC caucus. The Hon. Peter Van Loan, MP also was with us as special
representative of the R. Hon. Stephen Harper MP, Prime Minister of Canada,
who was in Ottawa hosting the president of Afghanistan. We thank them all.
Following
this event, on Sunday the 24th of September we participated at
the annual “Word on the Street” festival, a celebration of culture and
the letters. I am proud to report back to you today that this years
participation was the most successful from pother previous year, as a
great number of our members send copies of their papers to be placed on
our booth. We had the honour of the visits by the Mayor of Toronto Mr.
David Miller, the Leader of the Official Opposition of Ontario and Mrs.
John Tory, and the chairman of the Ontario place and ex- cabinet minister
and mayor of Toronto Mr. David Crombie, as well as a number of other
friends and colleagues, whom I acknowledge and thank them all.
Taking this
opportunity today I want to congratulate for one more time all the
honourees of this year for their dedication and their hard work for the
community, the sector and the industry. We have every reason to be proud
of them.
Last but not
list I want to express my gratitude for all the members who dedicated time
and energy working with me “date and night” in order to secure the
decency of the event and the reputation of our organization and the ethnic
communities of Canada. My thanks go to Maryam Aghvani, our senior vice
president for her dedication and continue work and cooperation for both
events. Also Mr. and Mrs. Massood Mashadi, our Senior Vice President
(Policy), for their hard work and the generous gift presented to His
Honour, on behalf of the members and the Organization. Thanks goes also to
Ahmed Shah Hotaki, to his sister Kubra Hotaki, to painter Kamran Ahmedi
and to Mohamad Roman, President of the Afghan community for the gift they
presented to his Honour. My thanks also to Chairman Clyde McNeil, to
sister Irene Geroglides, for their dedication, hard work and leadership
for organizing both events. Special thanks to Irene for organizing the
welcome committee and being in charge AT THE L. Governor’s event and her
work and help during the “Word on the Street” festival. Thanks do also
to Cindy Gu and to Neel Nanda, for their help and participation during the
preparation of the event and also the presentation. My thanks also to Dr.
Mona Feng, for her assistance, the consultation and her suggestions for
the preparation of a very successful event. Special thanks to Dr. B. Lamba
and his committee,( Massood Mashadi, Maryam Aghvani, Neel Nanda) for the
selection of the successful honourees, a job very well done. My thanks and
gratitude to brother Hasan Yilmaz, for his work and dedication to take
responsibility and organize the “Word on the Street” booth of the
organization, and thousands thanks to brothers Iraj Emad, John Saraidaris
and Tryfon Haitas, for their hard work to make these events a life lasting
memories.
Thanks to
their dedication, hard work and enthusiasm we succeeded, please accept my
personal appreciation and respect.
At he end of
October I am working to have the R. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of
Canada with us for the roundtable conference. As soon as I have any news I
will inform you.
For the
upcoming event of our annual get together the board of directors took the
liberty to honour with special recognition all those who worked for the
success of our event, the same day we will honour the Man and Woman of our
Canadian Armed forces for their dedication, service and sacrifices
defending peace and democracy in every corner of today’s dangerous
world.
Please make
sure that you are going to be there, Maryam Aghvani, Irene Keroglides and
Mona Feng and Daniela, are responsible for organizing this event with full
dinner and wine and live music with a donation of $ 20.00 dollars per
person in attendance.
Thank you
all,
Thomas S.
Saras
President
