Here is a copy of my article about Wednesday-Night which will be appear on
the newspapers in Kunming and Singapore during this period(since this week
is the 7-days public holiday), will send you copies of the newspapers later
- my gift to the Millennium Celebration!!
A tender moment
WEDNESDAY-NIGHT SALON
Life is full of variables that you may not understand. You cannot predict what life will bring about to you. You won't expect a "minor happening" may turn out to be a lifetime impact on you. Sometimes, you may sense it, sometimes it is really difficult to estimate its’ significance to your whole life.
This is mystery of life, and fun of it.
Three years ago, I got tired of the work I had been doing for 10 years and felt an eager for new knowledge, I thus came to Montreal, a land of maple with European taste, for my AMBA study. On the day of registration, I happened to find a home-stay family, where I moved over without much thinking. I had never expected this decision could have such important influence on me. There, I got to know my dear Canadian Mom and Dad --- Diana and David, together with their WENDESDAY-NIGHT SALON.
My new "home" is located at 33 Rosemount, which is locally known for the WEDNESDAY-NIGHT SALON. WEDNESDAY-NIGHT SALON dates back to 1982, when only a handful of friends gathered regularly talking mainly about economy and financial market. Gradually, the topics evolve, so do the professions and interests represented in the salon. Discussions range from international aviation to environmental issues, from high technology and sciences to social policy and international development, and many subjects in-between. Economists are always in evidence, as are bankers, international investors, diplomats, corporate executives, politicians, professors, entrepreneurs, lawyers, doctors, human rights activists, environmentalists and members of the media (Discussions, with rare exceptions, are off the record.). It is estimated that, by now, more than 10,000 people have attended the Salon. The topics vary from week to week, while there are a few "regulars"- members of the Wednesday Night group who come as often as possible-many other guests attend only when topics of specific relevance to their professions or fields of expertise are to be discussed.
Every Wednesday, after 8 p.m., ladies and gentlemen formally dressed come in a flow, with a bottle of wine in hand. From 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., it is networking free talk time, when old and new friends get together talking freely. As soon as it strikes nine, David rings the bell, and the guests enter into the quaint dining room, sitting around a rectangular table (the Nicholson’s Table). The four corners of the dining room are equipped with TV sets. Candles are lit in replace of lights. The whole dining room is penetrated with thick English taste. Then, salon begins.
Now, you see people with different backgrounds getting together, debating exchanging ideas, listening, consulting and learning. The atmosphere is open, liberal, active and sometimes hot, without absolute authority. Wherein, you would feel complete liberty, equality and openness, free from mental burden and spiritual shackles. The host/hostess is good at casting a brick to attract jade, trying to solicit as much as possible the different views about a same issue, thus giving people the objective and complete essence of it. Here, you can truly experience international trans-cultural mixture, learn thoughts you've never expected, hear the voices and views from people of different cultural background. Here, you would truly understand the true meaning of "listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; heed only one side and you will be benighted." All the guests come prepared, so the discussions are of rather high level. For the discussions I attended, which impressed me most is the night when the President of Treasury Board- Madame Lucienne Robillard came. With the rapidly accumulating federal budgetary surplus, the President wanted to hear from Wednesday-Night’s views on how this surplus might be spent. Thus the Minister gave out the topics, WEDNESDAY-NIGHT SALON called and gathered all elite, a wide range of occupations including writers and artists, community activists, students, lawyers, politicians, religious leaders, teachers and professors, stock market analysts, investors and bankers. People came together, defining the problem, setting the objectives, proposing a method of proceeding and testing the probable results against the problem definition…The discussions were sparkling, heated, light and humorous, full of witty remarks. It seemed that all the elite of Montreal were present there. Even I, a foreigner, was deeply attracted, bursting into laughers now and falling into deep thoughts then. What moved me most was that, when it came to the next topic after the debating that night, people expressed their dissatisfaction with the government's performance on the taking over battles between Air Canada and Onex over Canadian Airlines. And asked the President to convey their opinions to the Cabinet - we hope the government to be fair and wise!
During the weekly discussions, we sometimes talked about China. As a Chinese, an insider, my points of view interested the participants. Whereas at this occasion, I always regretted I had not brought more materials and videotapes about China with, because some people’s understanding about China was mainly through the western media’s reports - China through westerners' eyes!
Time flies! On the coming May 2, 2001 WEDNESDAY-NIGHT SALON is entering its "Millenium Week". Facing towards Westmount from afar, I sincerely wish WEDNESDAY-NIGHT SALON thrive and long live. And, to the host/hostess of the Salon - my dear Canadian Mom and Dad - Diana and David, I would like to express my heartfelt respect and appreciation. Thank you for bringing me into it and enabling me to learn to accommodate different views with an open heart, to listen to different voice leniently, and to see a thing objectively, instead of making arbitrary, subjective, hasty conclusions or judgement. Dear Wednesday-Nighters, it is you who make me to see the gap. Today, reading and thinking has become an important part of my life. It is you who help me understand: Despite of variables of life, a free and open heart will enable one to fly high and far! What I learned from it will benefit me for a lifetime.
Let me light a WEDNESDAY-NIGHT candle here in Guangzhou, China, to celebrate the coming Millennium Celebration with all of you dear ones in Rosemount, Canada.
click for Orginal Newspapers in Kunming < | and Singapore by Anna Chen
BBC
Congratulations to the 1000th celebration of Wednesday Night! Though I can't
be present, my heart will be there with you celebrating!!
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