Dear Fellow Toastmasters
We will never forget the wonderful world-class convention District Annual
Convention held at Hong Kong last week. The convention was without dispute,
a first-class convention with Quality, Organisation and Time Management.
What a breakthrough!
Congratulations to Organising Committee in Hong Kong for this superb effort
and the hospitality that you have showered to all our delegates from
District 51, China, Japan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and USA.
Thursday 17 May 2001
A pre-convention private dinner at Central, Hong Kong was hosted by District
Governor for District Executive Committee members and their spouses. The
Galaxy and Universe Stars Awards were presented to Area and Division
Governors. The leaders also shared about the breakthrough experience in the
past 10 months.
Friday 18 May 2001
The morning at Regal Airport Hotel started with the Mandarin Clubs Meeting
followed by the District Executive Committee meeting. Immediately after
lunch was the Mandarin Session and the winners are:
Mandarin contest (Table Topics)
Champion: Zhang Xia Ping, Area M4
1st runner-up: Chhoa Kim Hock, Area E4
2nd runner-up: Lau Fock Siong, Area M3
Congratulations to the above winners!
Following the mandarin event was the District Council Meeting. The District
Council approved the splitting of Division C which has grown beyond 40
clubs. A new Division W was approved. Here are the results of the election
for the new term 2001-2002:
District Governor: Lilian Lau DTM
Lieutenant Governor Education & Training: Dr. John Lau DTM
Lieutenant Governor Marketing: Ho Fong Ming DTM
Immediate Past District Governor: Christopher Teo DTM
* District Public Relations Officer: LeAnn Tang ATMS
* District Secretary: Celine Teh ATMS
* District Treasurer: Ong Siew Chern ATMS
* Mandarin Co-ordinator: Michael Lee ATMS
* Pidato Co-ordinator: Abu Bakar DTM
* Bahasa Indonesia: Netty Djohan ATM
* Webmaster: Charlotte Kang CTM
* Parliamentarian: Low Yat Seow ATMS
Division A Governor: Irene Lau ATM
Division B Governor: Richard Sng DTM
Division C Governor: Dr. William Lau ATMG
Division D Governor: Helen Lee ATMG
Division E Governor: Edmund Huang ATMB
Division H Governor: Talis Wong ATM
Division I Governor: Henrietta Kristanto ATM
Division K Governor: TC Lim DTM
Division M Governor: Cynthia Chan ATM
Division N Governor: (vacant)
Division S Governor: Kan Kin Fung ATMG
Division T Governor: Kasemchai Bitiwanakun ATM
Division W Governor: Ramdas Nayar ATMB
(* denotes positions appointed by the incoming District Governor)
Congratulations to DTM Lilian Lau and her new team, who will continue to
lead us in the new millennium with her theme "Create Your Destiny".
For the evening Social & Welcome Night, we were treated with a professional
performance by Ms Irene Ryder and a "la-copperfield" hair-raising magical
show. It was a time to renew and rekindle old friendships as well as to
make new friends.
Saturday 19 May 2001
The Convention opened with a thunderous Lion Dance acrobatic performance,
which was a feast to the eyes. Our keynote speaker, Mark Brown, 1995 World
Championship of Public Speaking shared many life lessons with us, including
the "dash-of-life", false start and second chance, "forgeteries" and
sharpening our edges.
Next were the 4th Asian Toastmasters Forum and the District Star-Series
Awards Presentations. Following a sumptuous lunch was the District contest
and the winners are:
District Table Topics Speech Contest
Champion: Prapairat Choradol, Division T
1st runner-up: Stuart Tan, Division B
2nd runner-up: Stephen Fernando, Division C
Congratulations to all winners for your mastery in the art of impromptu
speaking. The concurrent workshops were held with Mark Brown for the
English Session and Shirley Lee for the Mandarin Session. After the
workshops was the mandarin contest and here's the winners:
Mandarin contest (International)
Champion: Tan Chin Keok, Area M5
1st runner-up: Zhang Xia Ping, Area M4
2nd runner-up: Khor Song Kiang, Area M6
Well done! You have all brought the mandarin contest to the highest
standard ever.
In the evening we saw our Toastmasters in their glittering evening gowns and
suits for the grand Installation Banquet. International Director DTM Johnny
Uy discharged the out-going Executive Committee (as at 30 June) and the
installation of the incoming Executive Committee for the new term, urging us
to continue to make a historical record by becoming No.1 for the 3rd and 4th
year in a row! It was a night where Toastmasters let down their hair and
danced the night away!
Sunday 20 May 2001
The 2001 District 51 Communication and Leadership Award was presented to Mrs
Anson Chan, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Hong Kong SAR for the
period November 1993 to April 2001. Following the presentation was the
much awaited District Contest and the winners are:
District International Speech Contest
Champion: Dunstan Chan, Division E
1st runner-up: Apelles Poh Hong Pang, Division S
2nd runner-up: Thomas Lee, Division B
Congratulations to all winners, and we wish Dunstan success as he represents
District 51 at the Inter-District Contest to be held at Anaheim on August
21, 2001.
Thank you Mark Brown, for sharing with us your road to world championship.
And thank you Co-Chair Andy See and Betty Wong (and your very, very diligent
team) for making this convention such a historical occasion. And thank you
for the delightful mass "fire-works" display throughout the ballroom during
the final closing. What a finale!
All good things must come to an end, but we know we will meet again at
Kuching this November for the Semi-annual convention, and in Kuala Lumpur
for May 2002 and Miri for May 2003!
Thank you fellow Toastmasters for the many breakthrough experience in
District 51. Let us bring these breakthrough experience we learnt in
Toastmasters to our family, our working place and to our community, helping
more people to experience the breakthrough!
EXPERIENCE THE BREAKTHROUGH
With best regards
DTM Christopher Teo
District 51 Governor, 2000-2001
