Aimed at all those who are interested in young people, their problems and concerns, hopes and aspirations, Invest in Youth, share with you the latest development of the Federation and young people. We sincerely invite you to join us as a partner in nurturing the younger generation.
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Helping Young People Develop a Global Perspective

For more than 20 years the Federation has organised numerous initiatives to help young people in Hong Kong develop an international perspective. These have taken the form of Exchange Trips and Programmes, of providing opportunities to attend international conferences and workshops, as well as facilitating the sharing of foreign friends and dignitaries visiting Hong Kong with local youth.

In today's highly competitive and globalised world, an international outlook is imperative and the Federation has long been aware of this. The point, therefore, of these initiatives is to help young people widen their horizons and see themselves as not only belonging to Hong Kong, but as belonging to the world! It is only through these types of programmes that they can enrich their knowledge, and expand their abilities to think critically and analytically. Young people need to be able to appreciate the rich diversity of cultures and traditions, be open to other opinions and have a sure understanding of global issues and concerns.

Please do help contribute to the Federation's programmes and exchanges. Help youth acquire the skills that will ensure that they remain competitive on an international stage, with a sound and relevant global perspective.

Call the Partnership Office on 2123 9598 for more details on the Federation's international programmes.



  Helping Young People Develop an International Perspective
The Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee-hwa, used his 1998 Policy Address to set the long-term direction of Hong Kong. He stated that Hong Kong had the potential to become, "not only a major city within one country, but also the most cosmopolitan city in Asia, enjoying a status similar to that of New York in America and London in Europe. We must seek, as our ultimate goal, to realise this potential".

This will not be possible unless the young people of Hong Kong are well prepared, with a strong international perspective and well-developed sense of international relations and concerns.

The Federation has a long history in broadening the horizons and global outlook of young people through exposure to international youth exchanges. From 1983, it has been developing links and organizing reciprocal international youth exchange activities with countries as far a field as Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Hungary, Russia, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau. Until now, over 100 youth exchange programmes have been organised and thousands of local young people have benefited. In addition, the Federation has also organised various events whereby local champions have been sponsored to participate in overseas competitions or forums. Please refer to the website of Youth Exchange Unit for further details.

Starting from this year, the Federation will organize a Lecture Series on Global Vision for young people. Mr. Yang Wenchang, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will give the first lecture. Mr. Yang will speak about understanding the world from the perspective of China's foreign policy. This will take place on Thursday, 25 March 2004. Click here to learn more.

In coordination with the lecture, Leadership 21 of the Federation has begun a Course on China and the International Community in March 2004. Hong Kong scholars are invited to share their opinions and knowledge on China's position in the international community, China's foreign policy and China's military power in the world. Check it out!

 

Foreign Tertiary Students Studying in Hong Kong

Going abroad and experiencing the culture of other countries first hand is not the only way to develop an international perspective. This can also be cultivated through daily contacts with foreign people. With the increasing number of foreign students studying in Hong Kong's tertiary institutions, local students are encouraged to make use of these opportunities and broaden their horizons by engaging with their foreign peers more actively. Click here to understand better the distribution of non-local tertiary students in the last academic year.

 

Unfolding Young People's Full Creative Potential

Thanks to the principal sponsor, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trusts, young people can continue to demonstrate their creativity in the Hong Kong Odyssey of the Mind Programme for the next three years. A joint effort of the Federation and the Education and Manpower Bureau, Hong Kong Odyssey of the Mind Programme was introduced to Hong Kong in 1995 with the goal of providing young people with opportunities to develop their creativity and problem-solving abilities through teamwork. A total of 152 participating teams from 40 primary schools, 73 secondary schools and 6 youth centres participated in the 2004

Hong Kong Odyssey of the Mind Regional Competitions held last Saturday and Sunday. 6 winning teams of the local tournament will go to Maryland, the United States to take part in the World Finals in June. Check out the website for more details!

 

Establishing an Online Support Community for Forms 5 and 7 Students

The Internet has become a popular means of communication among youth and the Federation has taken advantage of this popularity to extend its comprehensive support and counselling services for Forms 5 and 7 students through this medium. Partnering these efforts, Outblaze Limited, a company specialized in developing, managing and offering innovative Internet services and platforms, has kindly donated 10,000 free e-mail accounts for Form 5 and Form 7 students so that they might receive and exchange relevant information about public examinations. Click here to visit the Federation's new "Form Five Broadband@u21" website.


 

Understanding the Current Situation of Information Technology Education

The Federation collaborated with Microsoft Hong Kong Limited to conduct an investigation into the current situation of information technology education in primary and secondary schools and the problems that are encountered. Based on the data collected, suggestions for the information technology industry will be formulated so that they can provide more relevant assistance and resources to the education sector.

  Youth's Expectation on the 2004/2005Budget

Before and after the Financial Secretary, Mr. Henry Tang, released his first Budget on March 10, 2004, the Federation conducted two polls to understand the views and feelings of young people. Before the delivery of Budget speech, 34.3% among the 504 youth respondents aged 18-34 had hoped that the Financial Secretary would prioritise the promotion of employment. 31.9% expected that there would also be new policies on revitalizing the economy. After the presentation of the Budget, the average mark given by 505 youth respondents was only 54.8, with Mr. Tang receiving a slightly higher 57.6. Click here for more details on the pre-budget and pro-budget polls!


 

Public Investment in Education

According to the newly released Budget, the total government expenditure in 2004-05 is HK$ 286 billion. Despite the huge fiscal deficit, the Financial Secretary promised that the Government would continue to invest in education, with expenditure in the new financial year amounting to HK$59.5 billion and accounting for 23 percent of total Government expenditure. This is a slight drop of 1% when compared to actual public expenditure on education in 2003-04.


Sharp Rise in Attacks on Teachers by Students is Worrying

On March 10, the Education and Manpower Bureau released the statistics of attacks on teaching staff by students over the past 3 academic years. The statistics are very alarming. The number of physical attacks on teachers by primary students rose from 5 in the academic year 2000-01 to 13 in 2002-03. The corresponding number of attacks by secondary students increased from 27 in 2000-01 to 46 in 2002/03. A total of 7 students were arrested for these offences in the past 3 years.


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