About Us

Our Mission

The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society is a registered secular non-profit organization with year-round programming in the arts and culture scene. We aim to foster, promote and celebrate the arts and cultural diversity that Asian-Canadian communities bring to Canadian society.

Our Values

Equitable collaboration
Diversity of ideas
Inclusive and accessible cultural landscape
Kindness and openness

Our Vision

For more than 25 years, VAHMS has worked closely with local Asian-Canadian communities and organizations that support our vision of becoming the main hub for celebrating Asian-Canadian arts and culture in the Metro-Vancouver area. Our signature project is a Metro-Vancouver festival showcasing pan-Asian Canadian arts and culture during Asian Heritage Month in May.

Our History

The Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS)

VAHMS was founded in 1996 by Jim Wong-Chu Mishtu Banerjee, Mo-Ling Chui, Grace Eiko Thomson and Winston Xin, following the beginning of Asian Heritage celebrations in the USA and Toronto, Canada. In 2001, Senator Vivienne Poy proposed a motion in the Senate to recognize Asian Heritage Month in the month of May officially. Other Canadian cities celebrating Asian Heritage Month include Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax and Fredericton.

Asian Canadian Cultures in Canada Include…

East Asia: China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan

South East Asia: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor, Vietnam

South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Western Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, State of Palestine, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

North Asia: Russia

Central Asia: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan