Present:

Thomas S. Saras

Neel Nanda

Tatyana Fursenko

Ricky Castellvi

Adu Raudkavi

Khan Khoda, Dr.

Maria Saras-Voutsinas

Daniela Spirlac

Mohammad Bagher-Samimi

Shunbuli Suhart

David Nguyen

Dimitru Pupescu

Arif Ahmed

Jasim Mallik

Suleyman Guven

Sandeep Prabhakar

Rakhee Prabhakar

John Saraidaris

Teshome Woldeamanuel

Moorthy Sellathurai

Mulugeta Zergaber

Sultan Alonm

Jose E. Donan

Peter Galiatsos

Isa Melo

Charles Devasagayam

Tharmasrirajam  Thirvnavu

Suhanthy  Tharmasrirajah

C. Senthi

Shahidul  Mintu

Ned Blair

Ahmed Shah Hotaki

Ranjit Wicks

Srimal Abeyewardene

Sivavesaselvan

Logan Logendralingham

Saad Alsafar

Janusz Niemczyk

Michael  Homsi

Karim  Mirshahi

Mil Garcia

Hermie Garcia

Aaron  Berhane

Jan Jekelik

Jonathan  Annobil

Emmanuel Ayiku

Maricelle Delgado Parrenas

Mohammad Tajdolati

Ishkhan Ghazarian

William Doyle-Marshall

Raffi Der-Boghossian

Pudhuai Raman

Peter Galiatsos

Inga Cernei

Luij Aparicio

Paula McKeygei

Muhammed Enad

Venthan Ramang

Susan Donan

Saad Alsafar

Hai-Tien Lin

Ahilakuwaran Multhukymaracamey

Luba Cherny

Agenda

1. Welcome Remarks by the chair.

2. Minutes of the previous meeting

3. Report of the President.

4. New Business 

5. Adjournment

Welcome Remarks by the Chair:

Mr. Thomas Saras chaired the meeting and declared the meeting open. Dr Tajdolati moved a motion to approve the agenda. Maria Saras- Voutsinas seconded it. The motion was carried

Minutes of the previous meeting: 

Dr. Tajdolati moved a motion to approve the minutes of the previous monthly meeting Maria Saras-Voutsinas seconded it.  The motion was carried.

President’s Report/Discussions:

* The President introduced the idea of establishing an academic scholarship for a student of Journalism with an educational institution, either a Toronto University or Seneca College, and later in Vancouver and Montreal, in order to help young children of the members to study journalism in order to continue the publications. There were various discussions on this and many members participated in the discussion. The members authorized the President to act on behalf of the organization.

* The last day of nominations for this year’s annual award of the NEPMCC was June 30 and the process of nomination is now closed. This year Awards ceremony is planned for Friday October 24th, 2014. Her Honour, the new L. Governor of Ontario will be hosting the ceremony at Her official office at Queen’s Park where she is going to honor our honorees. The President expressed his gratitude and this of the members of the organization for the honor and the hospitality of the L. Governor.

* The Annual Ethnic Press Exhibition at the CNE will take place in August 15, and this year the opening ceremony will take place on Sunday August 17, at 12:30 pm. Many distinguished individuals from all three levels of government, have confirmed their participation for the event.   Members attending the event were earlier asked to register with the office of the President as to how many passes each member needs. CNE passes were then accordingly distributed to members during the monthly meeting.  President encouraged all members of NEPMCC to attend the opening ceremony with their family members. The President stressed on the importance of the Annual Ethnic Press exhibition held on CNE every year, as being a very important vehicle for the promotion of the sector. It is time to inform the general public and the visitors of the CNE about the nature of our business, said the President. The booth for NEPMCC is strategically located in Hall B of the International Markets Pavilion at the Direct Energy Centre, where thousands or probably millions of CNE guests visit every day and therefore it is a best Public Relations opportunity for publishers to be part of the NEPMCC exhibitor booth at the CNE. The President also urged members to apply for CNE Media accreditation pass as there is limited number of guest passes offered to NEPMCC. The CNE tickets are purchased exclusively by the administration of the NEPMCC and are distributed free of costs to members who are planning to attend the opening

ceremonies. There will be a reception following the opening ceremonies, at the Green Cafe inside the Hall, where drinks and food will be offered on behalf of the organization.  This year NEPMCC could not obtain parking passes and as a result the office of the President urged members to use TTC to travel to CNE

* President Thomas Saras suggested of bringing out a booklet reflecting on the history of NEPMCC. NEPMCC would have five student volunteers from five different communities to attend our pavilion and interact with our visitors during the exhibition. The students would translate to audiences about the purpose and history of NEPMCC to those visitors who do not speak or understand or they not fluent in English. This year the CNE starts from August 15 to September 1. The closing ceremony as every other year before will be dedicated to Canadian multiculturalism with live multicultural entertainment, on the responsibility of the NEPMCC.

* The President informed the members that some applications for funding have been rejected by the Canadian Heritage, as the said publications were not clearly indicating about the writers of their articles. To this extend the President suggested the need for a special information session for all members in cooperation with the Canadian Heritage in order to get more clarity on Government programs. To this extend Mr. Saras indicated that he will negotiate with the administrators of the program for a daylong session interacting members and a representative of the Canadian Heritage.

* President Saras also said that some members are calling the office only when they need a help or support for their projects and after receiving help they never participate in the affairs of the organization. Effective immediately, said the speaker, his office will not prepared to engage in any special services for such members who do not participate in the affairs of the organization. This is your organization and therefore all of us have to support and work together for the success of all members, concluded the speaker. 

* President Thomas Saras like in the previous monthly meetings urged all members to pay their annual membership fee if they have not paid yet in order to renew their membership with the organization. NEPMCC has a lot of projects waiting in 2014 for the benefit of ethnic media industry and the execution of all these projects have cost associated with them.  All the members have benefited being a part of NEPMCC and paying membership fees in a timely manner is a duty of all members. President Thomas Saras informed that many members are still to renew their membership with NEPMCC.

* There was a discussion about community developments and there were suggestions that the administration must be more active in these affairs. The President thanked the members and told them that his office remains always open to every community member who needs services from NEPMCC. 

* This is our job and this is how we are working, said the President. We are here to take action and provide help to every problem of the communities or inter-communities and this is our job to do our best to keep our communities informed and in cooperation, harmony and peace, stressed the President.

* President referred to upcoming roundtable meeting with the Mayor Rob Ford and Mississauga Mayoral Candidate Steve Mahoney. Many members suggested having this event at the Cypriot Community Centre. Not being able to have the Hall at this day the President suggested alternative The Toronto downtown Marriott Hotel for Friday September 12, 2014 at 6:00 to 9:30 pm at t one of the boardrooms of the Hotel. The organization will pick up the expense as we as a media organization have to stay impartial to all candidates. In our previous meeting we invited all candidates for the office of the Mayor. Mayor Ford, was unable to attend dew to his state of health. It is therefore that today we offer him an equal opportunity to speak to our members.

New Business/New Members

Michael Homzi founder of Friends of Syria, a non-profit organization made a presentation on the grave humanitarian crisis facing the Middle East. He mentioned innocent children are most vulnerable and many are suffering from ailments. He passed around the table a picture of a girl from Syria who is suffering from heart ailment having a hole in the heart. He stressed that many like her in the Middle East are in need of serious help. He urged members to spread awareness to the readership of NEPMCC so that children suffering in Middle East can get the help they need. 

Daniela Spirlak informed the members of a fundraising event organized by Hausman Youth Assistance Organization and BeSocial Event Management Inc the goal for which is to provide 1000 meals for 1000 needy kids. The fundraising dinner would take place on August 21 at the Courtyard Marriot, 475 Yonge Street Toronto. She extended a special dinner rate for the members of NEPMCC.

Adjournment:

Mohammad Tajdolati moved a motion to adjourn the meeting Srimal Abeyawardene seconded it. The motion was carried. The Chair President Thomas Saras adjourned the meeting at 9:30 pm. The next monthly meeting would take place on

September 08, 2014 6:00 pm at Queens Park, Main Legislative Building, committee room N# 2, Toronto, On.