On the beautiful autumn afternoon of September 27, 1998, the First
Meeting of The Jilin University Alumni Association (Canada) convened in
the bright and spacious banquet hall of Mr. Wong's Super Buffet
Restaurant in Toronto.  The attendance was much bigger than expected,
with more than 60 alumni and their family members.  Added to this
friendly gathering were a delegation from Jilin University and
representatives from the Chinese Consulate General in Toronto.

The wall on the head table side of the banquet hall was decorated with
the sky blue JILIN UNIVERSITY flag, on each side of which was the
five-star red flag and maple leaf flag.  Hung over them were the
eye-catching brush work Chinese characters of our meeting theme - The
Founding Convention of JUAAC.

In high spirit, Ms. PEI Xiaozheng presided the meeting.  She opened her
presiding address by quoting a famous couplet from the 50 years
anniversary celebration of Jilin University: The World is so small,
small, and small; and Jida is so big, big, and big.  The President of
JUAAC, Mr. XU Xiangwu took the floor first, giving a keynote speech on
1). purposes of organizing JUAAC; 2). gratitude to the Preparation
Committee and the perspectives of the first Board of Executives; 3).
calling for support and suggestions from our members. Professor LIU
Zhongshu, President of Jilin University and head of the delegation,
after conveying congratulations on behalf of more than 10,000 alumni
from Jilin University, delivered his exciting, encouraging and
informative speech about Jilin University and her future.  Laughter and
applauds interrupted his talk once every while.  Consul ZHANG Guoqing
from the Consulate General also expressed his congratulations.  The
executive Vice-President LIU Jijun briefed on the year long preparation
work for JUAAC and dissolved the Preparation Committee officially.
President LIU Zhongshu also presented the invitational certificate to
Mr. XU Xiangwu to award him as Honorary Executive on the Board of Jilin
University Education Fund.  

More than a dozen other Jida alumni associations from China and the USA
as well as some other social organizations from Toronto sent their
congratulations to our meeting. 

Sitting at the front row were honored guests Professor GAO Jinyue,
Chairman of Physics Department, Ms. LUAN Guojun, Director of Foreign
Affairs Office, and Dr. YUAN Ji of Foreign Languages College; as well as
Consul LIU Saili (Madam Consul General), and Consul SUN Wangan.     

While having the sumptuous food from the super buffet, members were all
talking and laughing with each other heartily.  They took pictures for
remembrance under the Jida flag by grouping in specialties and
departments, and or with members from Jida delegation.  All members
expressed that it was really good to have this organization founded here
in Canada.  They donated money for JUAAC voluntarily and suggested some
activities they love to see the Board to organize for them in the
future. It was long after the assigned closing time for the function,
members were still talking and exchanging information with one another. 
It was hard for them to see the Jida delegation leave, it was even
harder for them to depart their alumni with each other; the atmosphere
of alumni meeting was hanging in the air for so long and the memory will
remain in our minds forever! 

Good bye for now and see you in our next function in the near future!


Reported by the Board of Executives
September 29, 1998