The 3rd North American Kwongfu Convention Held Entirely in Cantonese

第三屆北美洲廣府人懇親大會全程聯繫鄉情，孫中山後人參會

The hometown accent remains unchanged across the ocean. From October 21 to 22 local time, the 3rd North American Kwongfu Convention was grandly held in San Gabriel, Southern California, USA. Kwongfu clansmen from the United States, Canada and other parts of North America gathered together. The whole convention adopted Cantonese (Kwongfu dialect) as its primary working language. Authentic hometown dialect filled the venue, witnessing how Cantonese culture takes root and gets passed down from generation to generation across North America.

This grand gathering brought together overseas Kwongfu Chinese, with two distinguished guests in attendance: Mr. Sun Guoxiong, great-grandson of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and Ms. Chen Xiaolian, granddaughter of General Chen Mingshu. Marking the 160th anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s birth, the convention featured a special memorial and seminar session. Fellow clansmen, together with descendants of the forerunners, paid tribute to the revolutionary pioneers and revisited the spirit of patriotism, devotion to hometowns and pioneering courage of Kwongfu overseas Chinese. Mr. Sun Guoxiong was awarded the Outstanding Kwongfu Heritage Award on site, and all attendees stood up to applaud this cross-generational inheritance.

Kwongfu people have ventured across the Pacific to build lives in North America for more than a century. Cantonese has always been the cultural bond holding overseas Kwongfu communities together. This convention was hosted, discussed and addressed entirely in Cantonese, without switching to other languages. Both elders and younger participants could converse freely in their mother tongue. The familiar accent bridges the distance of oceans, allowing young overseas descendants to feel the warmth of their heritage language. Cantonese is far more than a daily spoken language; it carries the history, culture and emotions of the Kwongfu people.

A wide range of cultural programmes were arranged, including Cantonese opera singing contests, photo exhibitions of early Kwongfu trailblazers in North America and exchange forums among overseas associations. Centered on Cantonese culture, the event united Kwongfu organisations all over North America. For over a hundred years, wave after wave of Kwongfu migrants brought Cantonese language, traditions and music overseas. To this day, Cantonese thrives at community festivals, association gatherings and major conventions like this one. It is a vibrant symbol of Chinese cultural heritage abroad.

Far across the Pacific, Kwongfu compatriots hold fast to their mother tongue and remember their roots. This convention is not only a reunion for overseas clansmen, but also an overseas showcase of Cantonese culture. The hometown accent will never fade; the cultural lineage continues. This elegant ancient language keeps flourishing alongside Kwongfu communities in North America, letting the Kwongfu spirit cross the seas and live on forever.

鄉音無改，遠渡重洋。當地時間10月21至22號，第三屆北美洲廣府人懇親大會喺美國南加州聖蓋博隆重舉行，嚟自美國、加拿大等北美各地嘅廣府鄉親齊齊聚首，成個大會都以粵語（廣府話）作為主要溝通語言，地道鄉音響遍會場，見證粵語文化喺北美大地落根生長、代代相傳。

呢場盛會匯聚四面八方嘅廣府僑胞，仲迎來兩位備受敬重嘅嘉賓：孫中山先生嘅曾孫孫國雄先生、陳銘樞將軍嘅孫女陳小蓮女士到場出席。適逢孫中山先生誕辰160週年，大會特登設立紀念研討環節，一班鄉親同先賢後人一齊緬懷革命先輩，重溫廣府華僑愛國愛鄉、開拓進取嘅精神底色。大會現場仲向孫國雄頒發「最佳廣府精神傳承獎」，全場鄉親企起身鼓掌，向呢份跨越好幾代嘅精神傳承致敬。

廣府人飄洋過海去北美開荒，已經有百幾年歷史，粵語向來都係海外廣府社群維繫感情嘅根。今次懇親大會堅持全程用粵語主持、傾計、致辭，唔使遷就其他語言，入場嘅長者同後生都可以用熟悉嘅廣府話暢談舊事、共謀將來。一句句地道鄉音，消弭山海之間嘅距離，等年輕一代僑裔近距離感受母語嘅溫度，明白粵語唔只係日常講說嘅說話，仲係承載廣府歷史、人文同情感嘅文化載體。

大會配套好多豐富嘅文化活動：粵曲歌唱比賽、北美廣府先驅歷史圖文展、僑團交流座談陸續登場，以粵語文化作為紐帶，凝聚北美各地廣府社團嘅力量。百幾年以來，一代又一代廣府人帶住粵語、粵俗、粵樂奔赴海外，喺北美落地生根；到今日，無論係華人社區嘅節慶、社團聚會，定係呢場盛大嘅懇親會，粵語依然活躍，遍地開花，成為海外中華文化傳承一道生動嘅風景。

遠在大洋彼岸，廣府鄉親守住鄉音，唔忘來路。本屆大會，唔單止係僑胞敘舊聯誼嘅相聚，亦都係一場粵語文化嘅海外展示。鄉音不絕，文脈永續，粵語呢門古雅優美嘅語言，伴隨住廣府人嘅足跡，喺北美持續煥發生機，令廣府精神跨越山海，代代相傳。