Remarks at the Opening Ceremony of 2008 Chinese New Year at Domes
Good morning. On behalf of the Milwaukee Chinese Community Center, I want to thank the countless number of volunteers who made this event possible.

I also want to thank Sandy Folaron, Director of the Mitchell Park Domes, and Sue Black, Director of the Milwaukee County Parks. The Mitchell Park Domes are a diamond in this treasure trove of a city and we thank you for and cherish this collaboration under these domes and in bringing Chinese New Year to the people of Milwaukee and Wisconsin.

Finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our distinguished guests: County Executive Scott Walker and Honorable Chinese Consul General Ping Huang. Thanks for your support.

At the Milwaukee Chinese Community Center, our goal is simple. We have always strived to promote Chinese culture in our community while also embracing the awesome cultural and ethnic diversity in this region. What's more, we've always tried our hardest to be at the forefront of these efforts. In our participation in the Holiday Folk Fair, we quickly joined other cultural organizations in our community to reach out and encourage cultural exchange. Through the Milwaukee Modern Chinese School, we were the first to provide opportunities for learning Chinese.

And, as such, in this great year - 2008 - this year of change and of progress, this year of a new Chinese basketball star breaking through in our city, this year when millions of Wisconsinites and Americans will gather to elect a new leader for our country, and especially this year when China will host the Olympic Games for the very first time - in this historic year, we thought, "Why not make some more history?"

Together, by sharing in and learning about the Chinese culture and New Year's Celebration as we have done so today - we have. Today, February 2nd, 2008, we have gathered as a community for the very first time in Milwaukee to publicly rejoice and take part in an increasingly global Chinese New Year. And as president of the Milwaukee Chinese Community Center, I can't be more proud.

Thank you and happy Chinese New Year.

Liang Tang
02/02/2008