On May 18, The Beijing Center (TBC) announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously elected Fr Roberto Ribeiro (CHN) as the new director of TBC and president of TBC, Inc. as of October 1, 2009. His appointment is for three years.

Fr Ribeiro was born 1972, of Brazilian nationality, belonging to the Chinese Province. He is living at TBC since August 2008. His knowledge of Chinese is already quite good and he is fluent in several Western languages. He has a Master degree in Literature, a bachelor degree in law and has good gifts in the field of arts, cultural interests, photography.

Fr Ribeiro thus replaces Fr Ron Anton (MAR), founder and imaginative leader for the past ten years. Initially conceived as a standard Study Abroad Program, TBC has expanded in unexpected directions, into scholarship, publications, a varied menu of programs; it has assembled the largest English-language library on matters Chinese. And thru its extensive faculty, TBC has established marvelous links with prominent academicians in all the Universities of Beijing. Bon Voyage, Ron. Thanks for a job so very well done. (Contributor: Fr Tom Steinbugler)

The founding fathers of TBC, clockwise from top-left: Fr Ron Anton, Fr Tom Steinbugler, Fr Beda Liu and Fr Ismael Zuloaga.