ICCC President’s Welcome address
50th Anniversary Celebration – 17th September 2023
Thank you, Kavita ji.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I EXTEND MY HEARTFELT WELCOME AND THANKS TO:
- MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, MR. CHANDRA ARYA,
- YOUR EXCELLENCY MR. SANJAY KUMAR VERMA,
- PRESIDENT OF THE CHEO FOUNDATION, MR. STEVE REID,
- ESTEEMED ICCC BOARD MEMBERS,
- THE STAFF of the HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA, AND
- OUR CHERISHED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
A WARM NAMASKAR, VANNAKAM, SAT SRI AKAL, ADAAB ARZ, AND KHAMMA GHANI TO ALL.
ON BEHALF OF THE INDO-CANADIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE, I AM DEEPLY HONOURED TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE “50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS” OF THIS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION.
LET US OBSERVE A MOMENT OF GRATITUDE AS WE STAND HERE, UNITED, CELEBRATING:
– OUR RICH INDIAN HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS FROM OUR MAATRA BHOOMI, AND
– OUR ACHIEVEMENTS WITHIN OUR KARM BHOOMI, – THE CHOSEN DIVERSE AND MULTICULTURAL CANADIAN SOCIETY.
LET US OFFER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR COLLECTIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THE HEARTBEAT OF ICCC, SUPPORTING ITS:
- PLATFORMS FOR FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, and
- OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR SKILLS AND ASPIRATIONS.
THE ICCC BOARD AND I ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR UNWAVERING SUPPORT, IDEAS, AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN ALL ICCC INITIATIVES.
THROUGH OUR COMBINED EFFORTS AND THE COLLABORATION WITH 20+ COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ICCC NOW OFFERS:
- PROGRAMS CATERING TO SENIORS, WOMEN, YOUTH, CHARITY & PHILANTHROPY, AND
- SPIRITUAL AND VIRTUAL HUBS OVERFLOWING WITH RESOURCES.
TO THOSE WHO HAVE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATED AND TO THOSE WHO, DUE TO CONSTRAINTS, COULD NOT BE PART OF TODAY’S GATHERING,
“WE SALUTE YOU.”
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE FUTURE EVENTS MORE INCLUSIVE.
DEAR FRIENDS:
HERE IS A THOUGHT TO PONDER UPON:
WHILE WE HAVE DONE A COMMENDABLE JOB OF PRESERVING OUR HERITAGE IN CANADA,
- “ARE WE ARE WE MAKING OUR VALUES, TRADITIONS, AND ACHIEVEMENTS VISIBLE ENOUGH IN THE BROADER CANADIAN SOCIETY?”
WITH INDIA’S RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN GLOBAL ARENAS, ESPECIALLY THE CHANDRAYAAN MISSION, AND THE WORLD-CLASS G-20 SUMMIT,
“ISN’T IT TIME ISN’T IT TIME WE INVITE MEMBERS OF OTHER COMMUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE OUR RICH CULTURE?”
LET US WORK TOWARDS INCLUDING FRIENDS FROM OTHER MAINSTREAM COMMUNITIES IN OUR FUTURE EVENTS.
- PLEASE DISCUSS THIS THOUGHT IN YOUR AFFINITY GATHERINGS.
YOUR SUGGESTIONS WILL BE INVALUABLE AS ICCC STRIVES TO CEMENT ITS PLACE IN THE CANADIAN MAINSTREAM and BECOMES A PREMIERE INSTIUTION.
ON A PROMISING NOTE:
- SIX STUDENTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA’S TELFER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS WILL BE AIDING ICCC IN REFINING STRATEGIES FOR INVOLVING YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
- THE UPCOMING INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECT (GEN-CON) PROJECT WILL FURTHER SEEK YOUR INSIGHTS AND INVOLVEMENT.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Friends
MY JOURNEY AS PRESIDENT OF THE ICCC SINCE DECEMBER 2016, HAS BEEN IMMENSELY ENRICHED BY EVERYONE’S SUPPORT AND IDEAS.
THE CREDIT FOR ICCC’S SUCCESS RESTS WITH YOU. LET US KEEP THIS PARTNERSHIP THRIVING.
THANK YOU SINCERELY FOR YOUR COPERATION & FRIENDSHIP, THAT MADE MY ENDEAVOURS SO ENJOYABLE.
A HUMBLE REQUEST:
AS PART OF OUR 50th ANNIVERSARY, WE ARE FUNDRAISING FOR CHEO, THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOR EASTERN ONTARIO.
I URGE OUR PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY TO DONATE GENEROUSLY.
AS THE SAYING GOES,
“GREAT THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.”
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR GRACEFUL PRESENCE HERE TONIGHT, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND FOR MAKING THIS 50TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORABLE.
PLEASE
ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES AND THE SPECIAL “ICCC SLIDE SHOW” WE HAVE PREPARED FOR TONIGHT’S OCCASION.
HARI OM
Kanwal (Ken) Talwar
President, ICCC
613-866-5623
E-mail: president@icccottawa.org
Website: https://icccottawa.org
