Organizing Committee of the 18th CICAF
Main members
Honorary Chairman:
Junshan Zhu (Famous Canadian Artist)
Honorary Advisor:
Jim Karygiannis (Toronto City Councillor)
Cynthia Lai (Toronto City Councillor)
Guanying Wu (Professor, Tsinghua University, China)
Jingjiang Yu (Sino-us Cultural Artists Alliance Chairman)
CICAF Chairman: Weiqi Zhou
In 1993, Mr. Zhou graduated from the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts (now the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University) with a bachelor’s degree. In 1999, Mr. Zhou attended the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada to study. In 2001, he immigrated to Canada as an artist.
In 2002, he founded the Canada International Children’s Art Festival, which is celebrating its 17th anniversary this year. He is serving as Chairman of the CICAF since its creation.
In 2006, he initiated “Canada – China Cultural Council”, hosting cultural and art events, including the “Canadian Chinese New Year Festival”, “CCTV Young Singer TV show North America”, “Hunan TV Happy Boys North America Canada”, and “Welcome to the 2018 Beijing Olympic Games”. He is currently the President of the Canada – China Cultural Council.
In 2012, he registered the Canada International Children’s Art Foundation, a non-profit organization, serving as the founding Chairman. The main purpose is to build an international children’s art platform to provide services for children’s art education, communication, exhibitions and performances.
He is also a member of China Industrial Design Association, Hebei Branch of China Artists Association, Chinese Art Association of Ontario, International Watercolor Society.
He has held individual art exhibitions and joint exhibitions in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Banff and other locations in Canada, and his works have been collected by mainstream institutions and collectors.
CICAF Co-Chair: Joe Santalucia
Joe Santalucia was born in Siculiana, Italy. He moved to Canada with his family at an early age and pursued all of his post- secondary studies at the University of Toronto. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1980, his Bachelor of Education and Ontario Teacher Certificate in 1981; and his Master of Education in 1986. Influenced by his elementary teacher and university professors, he has instilled in his students a strong belief that “we must get along with each other” and that getting a good education is not only important but necessary in today’s ever expanding “global village”. Mr. Santalucia began his teaching career with the Toronto Catholic District School Board where he distinguished himself serving as a Guidance Counsellor and Department Head for over 20 years. He was promoted to Vice Principal in 2002 by the Toronto District School Board and after three years was promoted to serve as Principal for the next eight years. He retired from public education after serving as Principal of both an AP and IB schools. He currently is serving as Principal of Marco Polo Academy, an International Private School in Toronto. For the last eight years he has travelled to China where he was a guest speaker at an Educational Forum and to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the culture and its people. During his years as an educator, his proudest moments have been the opportunity to work with many caring colleagues to ensure that all students were instilled with a desire to learn and to strive for excellence in life and academics. As an administrator and counsellor, he has worked with students of diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds while supporting them to work through family, learning and life challenges. This commitment to access of opportunity and service was demonstrated with his involvement in committee work with both District School Boards as well as being a member of The Equity Team with the Ontario Principal Council. He also has made numerous presentations and been involved in curriculum writing projects. He has always been a strong voice for students and their well-being.
CICAF Co-Chair: Tao (Thomas) Qu
Qu Tao founded the Canadian Chinese Professionals Association (CPAC), which has created a new trend of high-tech exchanges between China and Canada, and the association is still a leader in this field. In the past five years, he founded the Dulanga Chinese Cultural Center (DCCC), the Duranga Chinese Business Chamber (DCBC), which is dedicated to the all-round exchanges between the eight towns of Durham Region and the municipality directly under the jurisdiction of China, including the establishment of Changping District of Beijing. Government friendly exchanges and cooperation in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province and Duran District, Ontario, Canada (Friend City).
Since 2016, it is the opportunity of Canada-China’s new “Golden Decade”. Qu Tao and the Canadian Overseas Chinese have created the influential Council of Canada-China Relations (CCGC), which is vigorously promoted at the folk level of the two countries. Substantial exchanges and exchanges between Canada and China involve civil society, cities and towns, businesses, education, media, and major strategic issues concerning the long-term development of Canada and China, such as advocating and promoting bilateral freedom from the private sector. Negotiations on trade agreements, through the timely and notarized introduction of the bilateral media, and the real style and public sentiment of today’s China.
Qu Tao was the first immigrant from mainland China to participate in the Canadian government elections in 2003. He has established multi-level contacts with the mainstream society in Canada. He also advocated and promoted the establishment and adoption of the Ontario Act of 124. Since then, it has legally required 24 professional regulatory associations in Ontario to recognize academic certifications from overseas, including Chinese immigration professionals. Qu Tao is a recognized community leader in the Chinese community in Ontario, Canada, recognizing his leadership, social impact, and achievements.
Committee Member
Eugene Tanaka, Shanshan Chu, Jun Han, Feng Lu, Erin Liu, Emerald Sun, Ziona, Michelle Liu, Jennifer Teng, Jie Yang, Zuping Zhang