Tong De Association’s Christmas Celebration: Collaborating Together for a Brighter Future
On 3rd Dec 2022, the joint event held at Adelaide Mini Garage, featuring the election of the Tong De Association leaders for the upcoming year, a charity Christmas celebration, and an appreciation dinner for the Tong De SHOWTIME Cooking Competition in 2022, successfully concluded.
It’s that time of the year – Christmas is here, and with it, the cherished moments of gathering and celebration. With less than a month left in 2022, the festivities have already kicked off. At the Tong De Association’s Christmas celebration, Adelaidians come together, filling the air with delightful songs, graceful dances, and wonderful activities, bringing laughter and joy to all.
The guests at this year’s Tong De Association Christmas celebration included:
Jing Lee, member of the Legislative Council and the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in the Legislative Council SA; Members of the South Australian Multicultural Commission including Anna Cheung, George Chin, Carmen Garcia, and Ahmed Zreika; Dr. Ning Zhang,former member of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission; Andy Xing, Burnside Councillor; the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Adelaide Deputy Consul General Lijun Pi and Consul Wenbin Li; Mr. Dipak Dhamala, Honorary Consul of Nepal; Ms. Carmen Garcia, the Honorary Philippine Consul to South Australia; Mr. Grant Stevens, South Australia’s police commissioner; Mr. Mohammad Al-Khafaji, the CEO of the Federation of Ethnic communities Councils of Australia (FECCA); Ms. Ayesha Fariha Safdar, chairman and founding member of the Adelaide Pakistani Women Association of South Australia ; Ms. Zhang Yanxia, President of Overseas Chinese Association South Australia;Mr. Zhang Tianbo, President of the Chinatown Adelaide of South Australia Inc; Ms. Nian Wei, President of the SA Xinjiang Association; Mr. Liu Tao, President of SA Shanxi Chamber of Commerce; Mr. Robert Zhu, President of the South Australia Jiangsu Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Yu Lu, former President of Hubei Association of South Australia INC; Orthopaedics Professor Ted Mah, former President of the Australian Chinese Medical Association SA (ACMA); Dr. Jane Zhang, Gynaecologist; Mr. Franz Knoll, owner of Barossa Fine Foods; Mr. Boyin Ding, Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide and Academic Director of Haide College; Ms. Celeste Yang, Global Partnerships Officer at University of Adelaide; as well as representatives from chambers of commerce, business leaders, student representatives from three universities in Adelaide, and members of the media.
The event began with a speech from Anna Cheung, President of the Tong De Association, thanking everyone for joining the Christmas celebration and expressing gratitude for the support from various sectors of the Adelaide community throughout the year.
Next, Ms. Jing Lee took the floor, acknowledging the Tong De Association’s contributions to the Chinese community in 2022. She also led the crowd in singing Christmas carols and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.
Councillor Andy Xing from Burnside City Council then extended his New Year’s greetings to all attendees.
At the Christmas banquet, the Tong De Association announced the results of the election, marking the official inauguration of the new Association members. President Anna Cheung stepped down, and Mr. Hao Hu will take over as the new president, continuing to lead the committee in upholding the spirit of “One in heart and mind, to Adelaide we bind ” and serving the community wholeheartedly.
President of Tong De Association— Mr. Hao Hu
Former President Anna Zhang will continue to serve as the Public Officer of the Tong De Association, along with legal advisor Lawyer HauPehn Yapp and consultant Mr. Yaohui Lai, assisting the new team in contributing to the development of the Tong De Association and fostering unity within the community.
Special thanks to Lawyer HauPehn Yapp, the election officer, and Dr. Zhang Ning, the scrutineer, for their collaborative efforts in successfully completing the Tong De Association’s annual election.
Since its establishment in May 2019, the Tong De Association has remained steadfast in its commitment of “One in heart and mind, to Adelaide we bind”, making significant contributions to assisting new immigrants, international students, and young people integrate into mainstream Australian society. The association is committed to strengthening cultural and economic exchanges between China and the West, enhancing cohesion among overseas Chinese.
Under the leadership of President Anna Cheung, especially during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tong De Association has united and rallied individuals of insight. It has actively engaged in community welfare activities, assisting the Chinese community in South Australia during quarantine periods and promoting vaccination. The association has also supported vulnerable groups by organising various health and legal seminars, conducted blood donation drives in collaboration with the Australian Red Cross, successfully held gourmet cooking competitions, and partnered with the South Australia Cricket Association to offer free children’s cricket classes and competitions.
Furthermore, every Christmas, the Tong De Association raises funds to support South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) to provide bushfire relief and rescue operations.
The Christmas event that followed was accompanied by joyful music, beautiful singing, and graceful dancing, marking the beginning of a thoroughly planned banquet.
Led by teacher Jingjing, the dance school’s performance team delivered a fascinating dance performance for the audience.
The live performance featured a delightful choir:Joyful Voices
Following that was an exciting auction and raffle session.
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The appreciation segment of the Tong De SHOWTIME Cooking Competition in 2022
The Tong De SHOWTIME Cooking Competition in 2022 sponsored by RPO, has concluded after months of preparation, auditions, preliminary rounds, and the grand finale, along with extensive public voting. The final round saw contestants showcasing a variety of delectable dishes that left everyone amazed. This year’s SHOWTIME cooking competition marks the second season organised by the Tong De
Association. Looking back on this year’s competition, from the preliminaries to the semifinals and the ultimate showdown, each participant has demonstrated the allure of gastronomy, showcasing the diverse flavours of South Australia.
The Tong De Association extends its gratitude to all friends and sponsors who participated in this year’s competition, and we eagerly anticipate the third season of the SHOWTIME Cooking Competition.
As the joyous laughter and cheers filled the air, the 2022 Tong De Christmas Celebration drew to a successful close. The excitement of receiving prizes and the clinking of glasses echoed throughout the venue, infecting everyone present with delight. In the midst of the joyful atmosphere, we came together, raising our glasses in anticipation of a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in 2023!
