It was all about East meeting West at the Golden Regency Restaurant in the Markham Pacific Mall on Monday for a night of dinner and entertainment. Representatives from the real estate industry mingled in the friendly atmosphere of Toronto’s best-known Chinese mall.
The evening event was hosted by Epoch Times Toronto Publisher Cindy Gu and Homes Publishing President and Publisher Michael Rosset. The two have been collaborating for over a year on projects that bring the real estate market closer to Chinese communities.
Gu delivered a speech about how the places she lived in throughout her life have influenced her desire of wanting to have a home of her own. Growing up in one room that was shared with other family members, Gu dreamed of being the owner of her own place one day.
“Home is particularly special for Chinese Canadians,” she said.
The work of real estate representatives is valued among Chinese who typically come from densely populated areas and wish to own their first home, Gu said.
“To own our home is like a dream come true and it’s also something that we want to have right away when we first land in Canada.”
The audience was treated to Chinese cuisine and a fashion show full of silks and bright colours brought by the internationally acclaimed Han Couture group. After the fashion show, audience members had a chance to take pictures with the models.
The evening proceeded with a presentation of Chinese traditional culture. Attendees entered their business cards for a lucky draw and took home memorable prizes.
Learning About Chinese Culture
Mary Marrello, a marketing and sales professional in real estate and Debbie Cosic, owner of In2ition Realty, not only enjoyed the fashion show but also praised the importance of learning more about Chinese culture.
“The more we understand about their culture ... the more we can connect,” said Cosic.
Marrello said that learning about the practice of Feng shui and its importance for the Chinese when they’re considering buying a home can help developers understand more about their clients.
“It’s very important for us and our business to learn as much as we can about the Asian culture, because they’re such a big part of our business,” Marrello said.
“I think that the building industry, specifically has embraced multiculturalism in Toronto, like no other city in the world,” said Paul A. Golini Jr., the Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Empire Communities and the Chair of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).
“When it comes to working in different cultures ... we think we know it all, but I think we never stop learning,” he said.
For Golini, the knowledge about different cultures is important when coming up with different marketing programs as well as in building bridges between communities.
“It’s stuff like this that really breaks down barriers and helps drive new economic opportunities across nations,” he said.
Co-host Michael Rosset commended the evening for being educational and entertaining.
“People think they understand Chinese culture, but to actually see the dancers and hear about the history and the grace and the philosophy, these are things that are not to be taken for granted,” he said.
Rosset, who began a business relationship with The Epoch Times a year ago, said the growing Chinese market further drives the need for these relationships to be built.
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