Bulletin Number One 1984

A Forest in the M ak ing The F irs t Five Years o f The Federation o f A lum n i Associations by W.H.C. Wan, A lumni Affairs Officer Saturday the 14th o f January, 1984 must be one o f the most important and memorable dates for the Federation since its inauguration. Members o f the Representative Council, Executive Committee, Annual Ball Committee and all Past Presidents were invited to a luncheon by Dr. Ma Lin, the Vice- Chancellor, at his residence, Han Yuan. It was a bright day, in fact the sunniest day o f the year in Hong Kong! One could not help being moved by the host's generous hospitality and warm reception. What added to the cheerful atmosphere was that Dr. C.M. Li, the Founding Vice-Chancellor o f the University, to everybody's surprise, was also present at the Party. Dr. Li came directly from the Hong Kong Inter national A irport immediately after his arrival. He spent more than two hours w ith the alumni during his two-day stop-over here. Mr. Law Cheung-kwok, one o f the Representatives, took the opportunity to present a copy each o f his latest book to the two Vice-Chancellors. Mr. Law happened to be the First President o f the University's Student Union in 1973. That reminded Dr. L i o f those good old days when the Union was established. We all shared the sweet memories o f those good old university days as we gazed at the University's campus from the garden o f Han Yuan and listened to Dr. Ma, who spoke softly on our alma mater's present progress and future development. In 1976 ， when many o f the Federation's office- bearers were still enjoying their undergraduate years, a group o f alumni, w ith the help o f Dr. C.M. Li and Dr. Ma Lin, then Chairman o f the Senate Committee on Staff-Student Relations, started to organize the Federation, which was officially inaugurated on 9th September, 1978 - a year to remember as Dr. L i was about to depart from Hong Kong and Dr. Madesignated the University's new Vice-Chancellor. A t the Inauguration Ceremony, Dr. Li spoke w ith great excitement on the Federation's role in the pro motion o f alumni liaison and coordination, empha sizing that alumni were one o f the most valuable assets o f the University. A ll these happened five years ago, but it was just like what had happened yesterday to those who were present at both occasions. In these five years, the Federation carried out its tasks quietly. Up to 1983, the total number o f graduates exceeded 17,000. These 17,000 trees were planted here and there, and the gardeners at the Uni versity still keep on watering them w ith affection and care. To bring the alumni together, the Federation has worked like a super-spider, spinning webs w ith silk threads o f fellowship, linking them by a life-long common bond under the colour o f purple and gold. Branches o f Alumni Associations are burgeoning all over the world. The registration o f the Overseas Alumni Association o f The Chinese University o f Hong Kong as a legal entity was completed and RECENT DEVELOPMENTS 9