Toronto, ON (October 5, 2024) – The H&R Immigrants Oral History Institute celebrated a milestone achievement yesterday with the launch of the second volume of Here We Stay (Greater Toronto Edition), part of the groundbreaking Chinese Canadian Oral History Series. The event, held at the University of Toronto Bookstore, also marked the launch of the “Polaris – In Search of the Northernmost Chinese” project, a new initiative aimed at documenting the stories of Chinese Canadians living in Canada’s northernmost regions.
Co-organized by the Canada-China Friendship and Goodwill Association, the H&R Immigrants Oral History Institute, and the University of Toronto Press, the event brought together community leaders, academics, and members of the Chinese Canadian community to celebrate the power of oral history.
Mr Zhou Xuan, Executive Chair of the Canada China Friendship and Goodwill Association, delivered a welcome address, while Wang Fei, initiator of the H&R Immigrants Oral History Institute, introduced the new book and announced the completion of the five-year data collection phase of the Chinese Canadian oral history project.
Notable speakers included Jason Farrell, Vice President of the University of Toronto Press, who emphasized the importance of preserving and sharing diverse voices through publishing.
Patrick Moore, English editor at the H&R Immigrants Oral History Institute, spoke passionately about the project’s impact in capturing the rich tapestry of Chinese Canadian experiences and contributions to Canadian society.
Professor Mo Guangying from Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Media; Yin Ling, Chair of Canada Sept Days Media, shared the significance of oral history from different perspectives with the guests.
The event was hosted by Dr Maggie Han.
Interviewees Yang Lin and Song Jian, along with University of Toronto student Grace Li, also gave impressive presentations at the event.
The “Polaris – In Search of the Northernmost Chinese” project, announced by Ms Huang Shuo, Chief Operating Officer of the H&R Immigrants Oral History Institute, will capture the unique experiences and pioneering spirit of Chinese Canadians living in the northernmost reaches of the country.
The Chinese Canadian Oral History Project was launched in October 2019 on Prince Edward Island, Canada, and has now spanned five years. During this time, the interview team traveled over 28,000 kilometers from Canada’s East Coast to its West Coast, reaching as far north as Churchill, Manitoba. As of October 2024, the oral history collection work in the five planned regions has been completed, with over 150 interviewees and more than 300 hours of oral history material, amounting to 2.4 million words of transcribed text.
The Chinese Canadian Oral History Series (five volumes in total) is the most extensive oral record of Chinese immigration in Canada to date, spanning the widest geographic area, covering the broadest age range, and involving the most diverse industries and interviewees. The series is published by North American Chinese Research Press Ltd..
The University of Toronto Press, founded in 1901, is Canada’s oldest and largest academic publishing institution and one of the largest university presses in North America. As a co-organizer of this event, the group expressed its strong support for its partners and multicultural projects and looks forward to further broadening its collaborations.
