The Joint Working Committee of Hong Kong Together, initiated by the Better Hong Kong Foundation to bring together Hong Kong people, announced today that it will organize a series of large-scale programs with the Home Affairs Department between now and Year 2000.
On New Year’s Eve and Day, Hong Kong Together, with the Tsuen Wan District Office and TVB, will organize a variety of activities to greet the new millennium. These activities include a Millennium “Heritage Bowl” Banquet, “Greeting the Millennium with a Thousand Hearts” Environmental Protection Campaign, and a number of games where people will attempt to break world records. These games feature a three-legged race for two thousand people, the release of ten thousand sodas in the air, the lighting of two thousand light bulbs, a dragon dance by a paper dragon made up of one thousand sectors, and an attempt to break the Hong Kong record of fitting twenty five people into a Volkswagen beetle and a two-thousand pound cake.
George Yuen, Convener of Hong Kong Together, pointed out at today’s press conference that to have Hong Kong people attempt to beat existing world records is most exciting. “People of Hong Kong have been traditionally assertive and creative in facing challenges. We hope that through these activities, we can highlight the strength of our people and reinforce their abilities in confronting barriers. To thrive under hardship reflects precisely the courage of Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong Together has led many community-wide initiatives over the past year. The activities in the new millennium will call on community groups and interested individuals to work toward a better future for Hong Kong.
To start, Hong Kong Together is sponsoring a series of educational programs from today until December 19. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Educational Council, with support from Hong Kong Together, will hold the “1999 International Literary Education Seminar” to discuss the teaching of literary and educational knowledge.
In addition, Hong Kong Together will seek to raise high school students’ awareness and interest in high technology in order to prepare them for the future. Hong Kong Together will invite all Hong Kong high school students to participate in a High Technology Essay competition, where the winners will have the opportunity to visit Tsinghua University and the Tsinghua Center in Shenzhen to observe China’s latest high technology developments.
“The mission of Hong Kong Together is to bring Hong Kong people together to work towards a better future,” said Mr. Yuen. “With the strong support received last year, we plan to continue working with the 18 Districts and sectors, such as the food, hotel and retail industries, educators in Hong Kong and in Mainland China, the entertainment industry, labor and community groups to organize many more large-scale activities. We hope that together, the people of Hong Kong will usher in a brighter and more prosperous new millennium.”
The Better Hong Kong Foundation is a privately funded, non-profit, non-political organization, formed by leading Hong Kong business people. The Foundation aims to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as the regional leading financial, shipping, trading and communications centre. It also serves to enhance greater international understanding between East and West. The Foundation is committed to facilitating communication between Hong Kong and China and the international community.