Asian Heritage Month
Defence Team Asian Heritage Month Events 2026:
National Event
What: Event featuring a Fireside discussion exploring the theme of, “Celebrating Asian Heritage: Many Cultures, One Defence Team”
Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Time: 1 pm to 2 pm (EDT)
Where:
- In-person: NDHQ (Carling) Building 3 Atrium, or;
- Virtually: MS Teams (Live sound | English Only | French Only)
In celebration of Asian Heritage Month, Defence Team members, and all Government of Canada employees, are invited to join the Defence Team Canadian Asian Network (DTCAN), the Defence Team Champions for Racialized Persons, and special guests for a national event on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
All Defence Team members are encouraged to watch the live broadcast of the event (links above). Defence Team members in the National Capital Region are invited to attend in-person at Carling Campus (DND NCR building pass is required).
Remarks:
- Rear-Admiral Jacques P Olivier, Defence Team Military Champion for Racialized Persons
- Colonel Chung Wong, Defence Team Canadian Asian Network (DTCAN) Military Champion
Fireside Discussion with:
- Lieutenant-Colonel Prem Rawal, National Capital Region Defence Racialized Persons Advisory Group (DRPAG) Military Co-Chair
- Master Warrant Officer (Retired) Stephanie Abdon, Steering committee member of the Filipino-Canadian Defence Network (FCDN)
- Tamara Pittis, DTCAN Civilian Co-Chair
Virtual Cultural Awareness Sessions
DTCAN is hosting three virtual cultural awareness sessions for Defence Team (DT) members, leading up to the National Event on May 28. Each session will highlight a different region of Asia and will be hosted by a DTCAN member who will speak from their personal perspectives on their cultural background and history. This will be an opportunity to learn about these regions and ask questions. Register here.
Presentation and discussion from DTCAN members from:
- Southwest Asia and Northern Africa region – Wednesday, May 6 (1 pm EDT)
- Mixed ethnicity – Wednesday, May 13 (1 pm EDT) [French session]
- Southeast Asia region – Wednesday, May 20 (1 pm EDT)
For questions on the sessions, or if you cannot access the registration link, please contact DTCAN-RACED@forces.gc.ca