John Lam: Celebrating the 25 Years of Success of the Sino-American Cultural and Arts Association

On August 17, 2024, the "The 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Chinese American Cultural $ Art Association and the Culture and Technology Innovation symposium" organized by the Chinese American Cultural and Arts Association was successfully held at the Sky Garden on the 38th floor of the Virgin Hotel in Manhattan, New York. The event was packed with 200 seats filled to capacity, attracting many renowned cultural and artistic figures, technological innovators, Hollywood insiders, and representatives from the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York. This event could be described as a cultural feast in the hall of fame of Manhattan during the summer season. The celebration not only reviewed the fruitful achievements of the past 25 years but also looked forward to the deep integration of culture and technology in the future. The Sino-American Cultural and Arts Charity Foundation was founded in 1999 by Mr. Wang Pei, who is now 84 years old and has served as an Asian-American advisor to six U.S. presidents, making outstanding contributions to Sino-American cooperation and cultural exchanges. The conference was opened with a speech by Chairman John Lam, who is not only a pride of the Chinese community in New York but also a builder of dozens of hotels in Manhattan, including the Virgin Hotel where the event took place.

The past 25 years have been a period of hard work and respect for Chinese people in the United States; looking forward to the next 25 years, participants sincerely hope for a period of cultural integration and economic cooperation between China and the U.S. on new economic and technological innovation platforms, jointly promoting world development.

Since its grand opening in April last year, the Virgin Hotel has gained worldwide fame. Virgin brand was created by one of the world's most successful entrepreneur, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, who flew his spaceship into outer space. The Virgin Hotel on Broadway was co-created by Branson and his ideal hotel partner, John Lam (Lin Jianzhong), whom he spent 10 years searching for in New York. The Virgin Hotel is located next to at least six tech giants—Apple, Google, Facebook, IBM, OpenAI, and Microsoft. These companies' innovative centers are in Silicon Valley, but their financial brains are in New York. The third floor of the Virgin Hotel, from its European decor to its outdoor garden paths, is the new world for these young professionals with six-figure bonuses. Since its opening day, the Virgin Hotel has been busy hosting "tech innovators" and AI-era elites from around the world. Perhaps due to his daily dealings with technology and tech talents, the over-70-year-old John Lam seems younger and has recently partnered with New York restaurant rising star Daniel Chen, who specializes in Japanese cuisine and French dining, and Morgan Zhang from Shenzhen and Singapore to create a Web3 public chain. New York business observers say this will be John Lam's third transformation—from garment tycoon to hotel king to a new force in high-tech that changes the world.

In his speech, Chairman Lam expressed his unwavering support for charitable causes and his commitment to closely connecting the Chinese community. He took over the baton from his decades-old friend Mr. Wang Pei to promote Sino-American cultural and charitable development. He will lead the newly appointed President Zhang Hengyuan (Morgan Zhang), Executive Vice President Ye Qing, Vice President Wang Shuguang, Secretary-General Wang Xiaohua, and seven newly invited board members and five advisors to further promote the Sino-American Cultural and Arts Association. With the new team and in a new era, they will further integrate Sino-American culture, arts, and technology.

President Zhang Hengyuan's (Morgan Zhang) passionate speech was filled with a vision for the future and a zeal for cooperation, inspiring every guest present to work together to further integrate Sino-American culture, arts, and technology. Although Mr. Zhang may be a new face to New Yorkers, his energetic and determined personality has inspired many newcomers. He said: "Although I have just arrived in this great city, like many friends, I will go through a process of adaptation and growth. However, what I bring is not just a new face but a new force, a hope to create the future together with everyone. I hope that everyone I meet here today will become my most cherished friends when I look back ten years from now. From today on, we are not just friends but partners on this journey together. I believe that in the years to come, we will become the most important part of each other's lives. Let's hold hands and head towards the future together!" It is worth noting that Director Pan Yan from the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York, together with Chairman John Lam, presented President Zhang Hengyuan (Morgan Zhang) with the highest honor in cultural contribution to commend his outstanding contributions to Sino-American cultural exchange. This award symbolizes high recognition and deep friendship in Sino-American cultural cooperation.

Additionally, another important part of the event was the presentation of the Presidential Award to Ye Qing, the co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Sino-American Cultural and Arts Association, in recognition of his selfless contributions to Sino-American cultural exchange and cooperation over the years.

Other important aspects of the conference included recognition of Dr. Jeannie Yi, who made a special contribution to cultural and film innovation in New York by integrating the Chinese cultural concept of "family culture" into the CBS Hollywood Family Film & TV Awards, and painter Wang Yugen, who incorporated beauty from life into extraordinary paintings, from his first New Year painting for his family on an old newspaper at age six to establishing a world art gallery in a prime location in New York. For 46 out of 52 years of his life, he has painted with his life.

The conference concluded successfully in an atmosphere full of intellectual exchange and creative sharing. Chairman John Lam warmly invited everyone during the toasts at each table to attend the Global Hotel Expo jointly organized by the American Hotel Association and the Ministry of Commerce of Malaysia in mid-to-late September. The resources, culture, brands, markets, fashion, and opportunities of New York are shared with everyone. With nearly 70 million overseas Chinese, the total population of Canada and the UK combined, Chinese people around the world are one big family. No matter where we are, our roots are in China, and our shared roots connects us forever!

Let's follow Mr. John Lam to Malaysia, Singapore, and China! Wherever Mr. John Lam goes, there is a platform for cooperation, the strength of leadership, and opportunities for mutual success!