FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            December 28, 2005

Release No.  M-116

GROUPS JOIN FORCES FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

            Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced that three Chinese community organizations will join forces to hold and jointly promote a series of events in Chinatown next month to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

            The agreement involves the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Chinatown Merchants Association and the United Chinese Coalition. In past years, each organization staged its own Chinatown events for Chinese New Year.

            “What we had in the past was a situation where the organizations and their events sometimes sometimes conflicted with each other, overstretched City services and facilities or confused the public, ” said Hannemann. “We’re pleased that these groups are now working together with a new spirit of cooperation and unity.”

            The mayor credited a group of University of Hawaii executive MBA students who recognized the need for a concerted effort more than a year ago and began meeting with the community groups, bringing them together. That group of volunteers, chaired by Evan Leong, will continue to coordinate the efforts as an umbrella marketing organization, Hawaii Chinatown New Year Celebration.

            “I am happy to announce that we brought all of these groups together in one room about a month ago and they were able to reach an agreement that will not only help the Chinese community but also the public,” said Hannemann. “As I have said many times before, we plan to place a greater emphasis on Chinatown in the years to come and make it the culture and arts center of our Honolulu. This is a step in the right direction.”

            Part of the new arrangement involves the sale by all three groups of a commemorative ribbon and information brochure detailing Chinese New Year events for the first time. Both the ribbon and the pamphlet were prepared with the help of The ARTS at Marks Garage. Sponsorship and support for the celebration also came from the City, Hawaii Tourism Authority, United Chinese Society and the Honolulu Centennial Commission.

            Chinese New Year will be observed on January 29, the first day of the Year of the Dog. Events will be held on January 20 and 21 and January 27 and 28 in Chinatown.  Events and information will be available on the internet at www.chinatownhi.com

            Among those present for the mayor’s announcement were Leong; Alvin Wong, president-elect of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Gifford Chang of the Chinatown Merchants Association; Albert Lui, vice president of the  United Chinese Coalition, and Danny Auyoung, the mayor’s liaison with the Chinese community.

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Contact:

            Bill Brennan, 527-6928

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767