HKFYG presents the Songbridge Concert of the World Children's Choir Festival on 12 July 2005
This is the latest of a number of Federation-led musical initiatives in Hong Kong. We are keen to promote young people's appreciation of music and the arts and their active participation as performers or volunteer helpers. We believe that music can bring release to the spirit and that participation brings with it a sense of community.

The concept behind the Songbridge Concert is in harmony with our beliefs. It was the initiative of Professor Erkki Pohjola of Finland who was convinced that global peace and understanding could be promoted by bringing young people from around the world together to sing music that reflects their different cultures.

This year's performance features choirs from Canada, China/Hong Kong, Finland and South Africa and is part of the 2005 World Children's Choir Festival. The programme will include five newly commissioned works, as well as folk tunes and melodies from each country. Do come and hear them for yourselves.
For further information contact Ms. Sharon Chan at 2123 9598 or click here...

I recognize how important it is for young people to grow up into rounded, cultured adults and share this perspective with The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. Appreciation of the arts is central to such development and I am very happy to make a commitment to this goal by supporting the Songbridge Concert.

Mr Raymond Lee, sole sponsor of the Concert,
Chief Executive Officer, Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing Limited

Youth Job Expo 規劃事業及教育博覽 2005 Date: Saturday-Sunday 25-26 June 2005 Time: 11:a.m. - 7:p.m. Venue: Stars Atrium, Level 1, Plaza Hollywood Diamond Hill http://www.jobmarket.com.hk/special/Junefair2005/index.jsp?source=Junefair2005_JMreply

Youth Learning Project Pacific Economic Cooperation Award Presentation Date: Saturday 2 July 2005 Time: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. Venue: YMCA Hong Kong, Assembly Hall, 3/F, South Tower, 41 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong Guest of Honour: Prof. Edward K Y Chen Co-organizers: HKFYG & Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation

Bridging the gap: volunteers for Songbridge
The World Children's Choir Festival, last held in Vancouver in 2001, is in Hong Kong this summer and the Federation is presenting one of the highlights - The Grand Songbridge Gala Concert. The concert is a regular event for choirs worldwide and has combined with eight major international choral events since 1999 as part of UNESCO's 'Music and Peace' programme. This year there will be about 150 members of the Federation's Youth Volunteer Network ("VNET") and ten Young Ambassadors in attendance during the festival.

The Federation co-presented another large-scale musical event last summer and we talked to two young people who volunteered for both. Lee Po-yu and Arthur Yeung, two volunteer leaders, told us why they offered to help and what they expect to contribute. Po-yu said that these big events involving a public performance are a real challenge to her organizational and interpersonal skills.

"The prospect of the choir festival reminds me of the Asia-Pacific Harmonica Festival last year. Thirty of us were rostered for the reception desk. It was quite complicated, with over a thousand competitors, judges, guests and performers to look after."

Arthur was particularly enthusiastic about last year's experience:
"It was the first time I had ever been exposed to harmonicas and it really stimulated my interest in music. I had already done some volunteer work with children and participating in Songbridge means I will take care of children again."

The Harmonica Festival was bigger in scope than this year's choir festival. It involved over 300 of VNET's musically inclined volunteers. They needed some training beforehand but basically they have to be very flexible and fit in wherever necessary.

"Most important were flexibility and patience. Many of the participants spoke very little English and so interpersonal skills were necessary too, especially because it was a complicated programme with competitions, workshops and concert," said Po-yu.

Again, Arthur's perspective was a little different:
"It was amazing to listen to all the different styles of playing. The volunteering experience itself was also memorable. I liked the way that volunteers were separated into different departments with their own leaders - it helped to keep the event running smoothly."

The choir festival will involve receiving and escorting upwards of 600 visitors and making sure they get to event venues for workshops, forums and concerts easily and promptly. When asked what were the differences between such big, musical events and other volunteer work, Po-yu replied:
"I had great fun in a Clean Up campaign after the National Day fireworks last year. The team developed real team spirit quite naturally. It was really relaxing even though the work was physical. For a big event what you need is continuity and reliability."

On volunteering in general, Arthur commented:
"The most valuable personal benefits for me as a volunteer are friendship plus improved cooperation, organizational and leadership skills. I have also gained a sense of community spirit through meeting and interacting with so many people."

Po-yu and Arthur will be looking after choir festival participants from the moment they arrive at the airport. They will be in charge of groups of less experienced volunteers, responsible for both children and adults - their hospitality and reception, registration and general well-being. How do they feel about it?

"I'm really looking forward to practicing leadership and teamwork skills, meeting new people and making new friends,"said Arthur, while Po-yu answered, "Songbridge is an obvious choice for me because I love music - my boyfriend is a pianist. That makes it extra special."

For further information about the concert contact Ms. Sharon Chan at 2123 9598 or visit www.songbridge.net. For VNET, contact Jacqueline at 21690032, email uicyvn@hkfyg.org.hk.

Young people's thoughts about the Chief Executive

Between 5th and 8th June 2005, the Federation surveyed 501 young people aged between 15 and 34 about their views on the Chief Executive (CE) in Hong Kong. They rated the strength of their views on a scale of 1 to 10. The strongest impression made by the CE is in his role as the leader of government in HK. This was rated 7.9 out of 10. As to the most important source of support for his election campaign, strong Central Government backing topped the list with 7.8 points out of a possible 10.

Leadership ability (58.4%), ability to govern well (45.4%) and vision (41%) were top of the list of abilities a CE should possess. When asked what style of work the CE should adopt in order to win the greatest support of the public, high ratings were given to decisiveness (43.5%), openness to criticism (42.2%) and having clear goals (36%). On the character traits of a CE, the respondents thought he/she should be someone of integrity (68.3%), an honest person (56.4%) and a leader who always made progress (33.4%). The young people also hoped the new CE could give priority to solving unemployment (41.6%), developing the local economy (32.5%) and helping the poor (15.8%). Click here to read about the survey:

A long term look at shortsightedness

Over 70%* of all young people in Hong Kong are shortsighted (myopic) - a figure that puts us at the top of the table, though Singapore is not far behind. The problem emerges for 3 in 5 every five primary school children in Hong Kong compared to 50% of the Singaporeans in this age bracket. As they grow up the condition tends to get worse and they need increasingly stronger lenses. In both Hong Kong and Singapore 9 out of 10 university students have less than 20:20 vision and the same applies in Taiwan. In the US only 10%** of all 12 year olds are myopic whereas in Sweden the count is 50%.

The higher incidence in East Asians, especially Chinese, has spurred researchers into action at the Chinese University and the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong. Last month in Florida, the Poly U's Centre for Myopia Research reported a way of dealing with the condition without either glasses or surgery. Instead they have devised a way of "balancing optical input" by using a specially designed lens that, in effect, controls the growth of the eye. This work has stemmed from experiments with multifocal and progressive lenses. Myopia is influenced by several genetic factors which vary between ethnic groups yet only 40% of the over 40's in Hong Kong are myopic.*** This points the finger very firmly at lifestyle factors such as ever increasing time spent at the computer, gazing at mini digital game screens like GameBoy or in front of the TV. Hours of extra homework don't help either.
*South China Morning Post 15 June 2005 C3
** http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s11999.htm
***Asiaweek 16 June 2000 29(23)