The Chinatown Reimagined Forum 2023 is a three-day event that will take place in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, Québec (and online) from September 28 to 30, 2023.
Visit the official forum website to learn more.
Join us in cultural heritage making and reimagining Chinatown’s possible futures.
Chinatown Reimagined is a three-day online event with interactive sessions exploring innovative, community-led approaches on key topics including: the significance of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage, creating a thriving cultural heritage economy, sustainable community capacity-building, and long-term stewardship for the future.
「唐人街新展望」是一個為期三日的活動，含有各種互動會議，探討各種新穎、社區主導的關鍵主題：物質與非物質文化遺產的重要性，創造繁榮的文化遺產經濟，可持續的社區能力建設，還有在未來的長期管理。
This project and work takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We acknowledge that this land was never surrendered, relinquished, or handed over by these nations to Canada or British Columbia through a treaty or other means; it is sovereign and unsurrendered. We also recognize that as uninvited guests on these unceded lands, allyship means working together to dismantle colonial and oppression systems.
> Visit the full Land Acknowledgements page
此項目和研究工作於xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (瑪斯琴族)，Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (史戈米殊族)、和 səlilwətaɬ (斯里華圖族) 所未割讓的家園上進行 。我們承認這片土地從未被這些民族通過條約或其他方式交出、放棄或移交給加拿大或卑詩省； 它由三個民族共同擁有主權和從未被割讓。我們也認識到，作為這些未割讓土地上的不速之客，與以上民族結盟意味著共同努力拆除殖民和壓迫制度。
> 訪問土地宣言頁面
Introduction for Part A and Part B
Tangible and intangible heritage have been traditionally studied, understood and managed as two separate topics. There is a tendency to speak about heritage mainly through physical evidence such as buildings and artifacts. Our heritage conservation tools and policies have also not evolved sufficiently to recognize intangible heritage, which includes language traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festivals, traditional knowledge and crafts.
As a result, many cultural heritage neighbourhoods around the world have wrestled with the challenge of recognizing and seeking support for their cultural heritage.
Driven by people with cultural lived experiences from the community, visionary researchers and heritage professionals, there is now a more holistic understanding that tangible and intangible heritage rely on each other to thrive. It is the interconnectedness of tangible and intangible heritage that carries the meanings, identity and memories of a community.
Part A
In this session, we will enter the world of Vancouver Chinatown’s rich cultural heritage through its Society heritage buildings. We will place this discussion in the holistic context of connecting the various forms of heritage and examine the current approach in renewing tangible heritage assets through continued and renewed cultural uses. We will also take inspiration from international examples of other built heritage sites and look at their influence on their communities.
Invited Panel:
Moderator: John Atkin
Part B
In this session, we will consider how intangible and tangible cultural heritage need to be defined, appreciated and supported more collectively as a contributor to community identity, economic development and social value. We will celebrate intangible heritage in Vancouver’s Chinatown by looking at how the stories of our past help shape our identity, how heritage assets are lived, practiced and transmitted through community initiatives and advocacy, as well as begin to re-imagine a future where both forms of heritage are supported.
Invited Panel:
Moderator: Carmut Me
Chinatowns across North America were born out of the experience of discrimination and racism. While each Chinatown has a unique path of history with its distinct political, social and economic challenges that shape the present day, these Chinatowns are, nonetheless, connected by shared value, purpose and cultural heritage. One of the commonalities shared by different Chinatowns is their continued role in the fight against racism and inequity.
At this session, presenters and panelists from Chinatowns throughout North America will share their work on anti-racism. This session will provide the unique opportunity to learn about the innovative and impactful projects by community leaders and organizations from both local, regional and global perspectives. The hope is that these accomplishments and ideas can serve as catalysts for further strategic collaborations and communications between Chinatowns.
Invited Panel:
Moderator: Henry Yu
The small-scale, place-specific businesses in Vancouver’s Chinatown are the bedrock to the community economic vitality as they attract talents, visitors and investments while serving local residents. With time, these businesses and organizations become a core part of the neighbourhood’s identity.
In this session, we will explore how Chinatown’s legacy heritage businesses and the organizations that support them collectively help to build the community’s economic strength and competitiveness. Through examining cases, we will look at the relationship between cultural heritage, businesses and community economic development. The session will take us into the discussions about the potential for economic revival by rebuilding and sustaining an inclusive local community economy anchored on its unique heritage assets.
Invited Panel:
Moderator: Kevin Huang
Substantial change in any community does not happen in a single step. The kind of change that is expected to transform Vancouver’s Chinatown on the social and economic levels begins with ongoing commitment and investment in building capacities in the form of talents, resources and time.
Supporting the people and the next generation of leaders who do this work is crucial in building a resilient community. These leaders include entrepreneurs, educators, advocates, artists, community organizers, students and non-profit managers in our community. This session provides the community an opportunity to listen to them and to ask questions on how we can better work together to take action.
Invited Panel:
Moderator – Tesicca Truong
Formulating effective community development strategies requires an intentional process of discovery, learning and decision-making led by the community. The path that the community takes to transform Vancouver’s Chinatown is built around an appreciation of its strengths and constraints, as well as an inclusive discussion on how to prioritize and take actions together.
In this session, the community will have a chance to look at Chinatown’s past, present and future. The conversation will be anchored on the shared understanding of the past. From that point on, the community will examine the priorities and commitment required in the context of UNESCO as the strategic aim and the Cultural Heritage Assets Management Plan as the pragmatic roadmap for actions. This conversation also attempts to shed light on the tough compromises that the community likely has to make and the priorities to be set in order to take realistic, measurable and timely actions.
Invited Panel:
Moderator - Sandra Singh
介紹: A 部和 B 部
物質和非物質遺產歷來已被認作為兩項獨立的研究和管理主題。此時的社會傾向於以實物證據，例如建築物和文物作為話題而進行遺產談話。此刻的遺產保護工具以及發展政策也沒足以承認非物質遺產，包括語言傳統、表演藝術、社會實踐、儀式、節日、傳統知識和手工藝。
因此，世界各地的許多文化遺產社區都在努力應對和尋求文化遺產的承認與支持。
在來自社區、有遠見的研究人員、和遺產專業人士的文化生活經歷的推動下，現在人們更加全面地理解有物質和非物質遺產相互依賴才能蓬勃發展。物質和非物質遺產的相互關聯承載著一個社區的意義、身份和記憶。
A 部
在這項目中，我們即將深入溫哥華唐人街的社團建築去探究當中的豐富的文化遺產。我們將探討研究各種連接遺產的方式以及現在的文化遺產更新策劃。我們也會看向國際的文物遺產以及他們對社會的影響。
受邀專家組：
主持人: John Atkin
在以往，北美州的唐人街都是在歧視和種族主義社會氛圍中產生。雖然如今每個唐人街都有獨特的歷史經歷，政治、社會和經濟挑戰，但這些唐人街仍然拥有共同價值觀、目的和文化遺產。其中的共同點之一便是對抗種族主義和歧視。
在本論壇中，來自北美州各地唐人街的主持人和小組成員將分享他們在反對種族主義的事項。從此能提供獨特的學習機會，讓大家更了解從本地、區域和全球角度中社會領袖與組織所創新又有影響力的計劃。同時希望他們的成就和構思可以成為各唐人街之間進一步策略性合作和交流的催化劑。
受邀專家組：
主持人: Henry Yu
溫哥華唐人街的小規模、特定地點的企業是這社區經濟活力的基石，因為它們在為當地居民服務的同時，吸引著各種人才，遊客和社區經濟發展。積日累久，這些企業成為了這社區身份的核心部分。
在本項目中，我們將會探討唐人街的傳統遺產企業與支持它們的組織是如何一起幫忙建立唐人街的經濟實力和競爭力。通過研究案例，我們將探討文化遺產、企業、和社區經濟發展的關連。本項目會引導我們共同討論由通過重建和維持一直錨定在本地獨特遺產資產的社區經濟而讓經濟復興的潛力。
受邀專家組：
主持人: Kevin Huang
規劃有效的社會發展攻略過程中特需要社會領導的探索，學習和決策的過程。社區所選擇改變溫哥華唐人街的這段旅程是建立於對其的優勢和限制的理解，也包括各種如何共同採取以及判定行動的優先順序的討論上。
在本項目中，這社區將有機會查看唐人街的過去，現狀，以及未來。此話題將以對過去的共同理解為基礎。從那一刻起，這個社群會探索在聯合國教科文組織的景況下作為策略目的、和在文化遺產及資產管理計劃的景況下作為行動的務實線圖所需的優先事項和承諾。此討論也會試圖闡明社區極大可能做出的艱難妥協，以及為採取又現實又可衡量的及時行動而決定優先的行動。
受邀專家組：
主持人: Sandra Singh
You can register for all sessions through our event page on Eventbrite. During registration, you can select which sessions you would like to attend. The forum launch event and sessions span across Oct 16, 22 & 23 - please view the "Forum Sessions" section of this page for specific times and details.
The event is free with online registration and open to the public. You may register for as many or as few sessions as you would like. We kindly ask that you register prior to the event for any sessions that you wish to attend.
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, all sessions of the Chinatown Reimagined Community Forum will take place online. Links to individual sessions will be sent out to registered attendees in the confirmation email via Eventbrite
Chinatown Reimagined is developed by the Chinatown Transformation Team of the City of Vancouver in partnership with the University of British Columbia and supported by the Chinatown Legacy Stewardship Group (LSG) and its five working groups. Many community partners contributed to the Forum, including:
唐人街新展望由溫哥華市的唐人街經濟文化發展專案小組 (CTT) 主辦，由卑詩大學協辦，並得到唐人文化傳承督導組 (LSG) 及其工作組的支持。許多社區合作夥伴為論壇做出了貢獻，包括：
