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Re: Cantonese studies programme at UBC Canada 18:33 by ♭♫ [+-]

Eventually, the $2M will dry up and then what is the plan to continue learning Cantonese? This donated money would be better spent on developing a Cantonese video version of Sesame Street which then would be a available online all over the world perhaps indefinitely.

Quote
倉頡
I was going to put this in the chinese section, but being as it may be of interest to cantonese learners who can't read chines, I decided to post it here. Feel free to discuss it or whatever.

Basically, a retired accountant in Vancouver and his brother have donated $2 million to set up a Cantonese studies programme in the UBC (unitersity of british columbia). He was concerned about cantonese, and decided to donate funds to set this up.

Here's the article from 《星島日報》Singtao daily Canada:

You can read the article here: Retired accountant donates $2 million to set up a Cantonese studies programme

會計師捐200萬救粵語文化
[2013-10-16]

圖文：本報記者徐嘉銘
UBC獲華裔贈款助開多門課程
溫哥華退休註冊會計師屈志森與胞兄屈志堅，最近決定捐出200萬元給卑詩大學(UBC)亞洲研究中心，資助開拓粵語及廣東文化研究項目(Cantonese Studies program)。屈志森向《星島日報》記者表示，看到廣府話出現沒落危機，極感憂心而發願捐款，冀藉此協助保存粵語，以及在海外傳揚廣東文化。UBC亞洲學系主任金恩(Ross King)表示，擬運用該筆捐款每年開設8門課程，並將從世界各地聘請講師。
這筆200萬元捐獻，將通過屈志森和屈志堅多年前在UBC成立的「屈葉素文紀念講座」發出。UBC表示，這筆錢相信是加拿大史上，涉及語言研究項目其中一項最大筆捐款。屈志森指出，目前國際上專門研究保存粵語文化的學術機構，暫時只有香港中文大學。
普通話愈強勢廣府話愈瀕危
屈志森透露，最近十多年來大溫的中國移民愈來愈多，他們主要講普通話。自從他前幾年退休，有時回到中國旅遊，也發現即使在廣州，由於當局大力推行普通話，使得講粵語方言的人愈來愈少，讓他感到很憂心。他指出，粵語是很古老的語言，對廣東人士很重要，擔心有一天會消失於無形。
而UBC的亞洲研究中心，研究中文一直是強項，而中文又以普通話為主，因此該中心曾經向他提過，希望能夠展開與粵語相關的項目，或開設有關廣府話、廣東文化甚至粵劇粵曲課程。經充分思考後，他與從事藥劑師工作的屈志堅決定，通過以母親為名的「屈葉素文紀念講座」捐出200萬，協助設立相關研究項目。
屈志森就指出，目前僅確定這筆捐款用於資助廣府話、廣東文化與粵劇粵曲相關課程，但詳細課程內容未定出。他準備在10月底，與UBC亞洲研究中心人員開會討論才定案。但他強調，不會干預該中心的決定。
此外，他也提到，雖說捐款200萬元，但並非一次過發出；待立項細節敲定後，他會於今年年底前撥出第一筆捐款，剩下款項計劃最遲明年年初到位。
冀UBC可設粵語文化研究部門
談到對保存及弘揚粵語和廣東文化的理想時，屈志森對本報記者透露，他很希望有一天能在UBC亞洲研究中心裏，設立專門研究粵語文化的部門。但知道要圓這個心願，目前的捐款遠遠不夠：「200萬元只是起步，要成立一個專門部門還須籌募更多金錢。如果大學那邊有需要籌款，我希望能幫上忙也參與募捐工作。」
一般每年使用捐款的3.5%
UBC的金恩回覆本報查詢時表示，對於大筆捐款，校方一般每年使用所獲捐款的3.5%，如果有剩餘，就會撥回至原來的捐款，以期讓捐款所資助項目得以延續。屈氏兄弟捐贈的200萬元，每年會使用約7萬元開設項目。第一年撥出7萬元後，留下193萬元，如果首年用款剩餘3萬元就撥回捐款中，使得捐款仍有196萬元。
至於計劃開設的課程內容，金恩說每年會聘請一位教粵語及廣東文化的專業講師。計劃開設8門課程，其中6門為廣府話課程，兩門為廣府話區域歷史和文化課程。他希望，每年能找到不同的講師任教。

《星島日報》二零一三年十月十六日星期三由倉頡轉載

PS, Sorry for not translating more, I've been really busy lately, I saw the article last wednesday and only got around to posting it today!

I'm sure there'll be more news on it.

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