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5
July 2000
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| Mr. Li Ka-shing, a strong supporter
of life-long education, believes that learning from experience
is just as important as learning from books. With the support
of the Education Department, the Li Ka Shing Foundation has
donated HK$10 million to organize the Millennium Study Tour
this summer. Beginning in mid-July, approximately 1,000 outstanding
secondary students chaperoned by 50 teachers will travel in
small groups to 14 different cities in nine countries, namely
mainland China, Singapore, Germany, United States, Japan, Canada,
United Kingdom, Australia and Sweden. The tours will focus on
environmental protection and new technologies, and every itinerary
has been carefully planned to make this a meaningful summer
activity for the students. |
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| The launch ceremony for the
Millennium Study Tour was held today. Officiating at the ceremony
were SAR Chief Executive The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, Deputy
Director of Liaison Office of The Central People's Government
in the HKSAR Mr Zou Zhe Kai, Consul-General of the Republic
of Singapore Mr Chan Heng Wing, Consul General of The Federal
Republic of Germany Mr Wolfgang Gerz, Consul General of the
United States of America Mr Michael Klosson, Consul-General
of Japan Mr Itaru Umezu, Acting Consul-General of the United
Kingdom Mr Andrew Seaton, Acting Consul General of Australia
Mr Steve Waters, Consul of Sweden Ms Ann Arefeldt, and Assistant
Director of Education (Chief Inspector of Schools) of Education
Department Advisory Inspectorate Mr Tam Chun-kit. |
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| During the ceremony, the Consul
Generals/representatives of the respective host countries unveiled
a picture of their country's famous sight, with each symbolizing
a different learning opportunity. The Great Wall of China was
labelled an icon of Chinese history museum; Singapore's lion
statue as that of art; Germany's Brandenburg Gate as western
history classroom; San Francisco's cable car as an electronics
lab; Fuji Mountain as a geography academy; Stanley Park as a
sports ground; Big Ben as a literature library; Koala Bear as
environmental studies; and Sweden's City Hall of Stockholm as
a music chamber. |
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| Mr. Li said during the ceremony,
"This scheme was thoughtfully arranged by many people, including
the Consul Generals. I hope the students will see more, learn
more, and enjoy the Tours. We look forward to sharing the students'
experience with us when they return." |
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| The Millennium Study Tour was
designed to offer opportunities for students to broaden their
horizons and to get to know peoples of different cultures and
backgrounds. The itineraries will include visits to sights related
to environmental protection and new technologies with the aim
of increasing the students' understanding of these two major
subjects of the 21st century. |
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| The itineraries were carefully
planned with the help of The Liaison Office of The Central People's
Government in the HKSAR, the Mainland's Ministry of Education;
the Consul Generals of the host countries; and concerned cities'
universities, environmental protection groups, and commercial
enterprises. In regards to visiting environmental protection
projects, arrangements have been made for the students to visit
recycling facilities, national parks, wetlands and conservation
areas. The students will also visit Husky Oil in Canada, which
is renowned for its environmental protection policies; the International
Kunming World Agricultural Exhibition; and the Oriental Plaza
which boasts the highest greenery ratio amongst properties in
Beijing. Talks on nature conservation have also been arranged
by the concerned universities and environmental protection groups
to deepen the students' appreciation of environmental protection. |
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| The focus on new
technologies is equally important. Places the students will
visit include science museums and natural science centres, the
satellite launching facility at Xian, and some of the world's
top technology companies such as Sharp, Ericsson, Cisco System,
and Sun Microsystems. |
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| Other activities
of the Study Tour include visits to the University of Cambridge,
Stanford University, Peking University, and Tsinghua University;
and cultural events such as the British musical "The Lion King"
and Berlin's "Festival of Vision-Hong Kong in Berlin". |
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| Mr. Li has always been a strong
supporter of community welfare projects, having donated nearly
HK$4 billion over the years. Mr. Li established the Li Ka Shing
Foundation in 1980 to promote the development of education,
health care, and other social welfare in Hong Kong, the mainland
and overseas. Among the better-known education projects are
Shantou University, which was founded in 1981; the Cheung Kong
Scholars Programme and the Cheung Kong Achievement Award, established
in 1999 to reward outstanding professors; and the building of
the new Beijing University Library, the largest library in Asia.
The Foundation has also supported many education and research
projects in Hong Kong, including the construction of the University
of Hong Kong Chong Yuet Ming Buildings, the redevelopment of
the Caritas Chong Yuet Ming Pre-vocational School, financing
the expansion of the Open University of Hong Kong, helping Polytechnic
University achieve its aim of 'Academic excellence and dedicated
partnerships with business', and donations to a number of tertiary
institutions. The Foundation's major contributions in the area
of healthcare include The four Affiliated Hospitals of Shantou
University, a joint venture with the Chinese University of Hong
Kong to build a Joint International Eye Institute, a donation
to the China Disabled Persons Federation which helped to restore
vision to 1 million cataract sufferers, and the building of
five homes for the elderly and the Li Ka Shing Specialists Clinics
in Hong Kong. |
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| -End- |
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| The launch ceremony for the
Millennium Study Tour organized by the Li Ka Shing Foundation
was staged on July 5, 2000. The event was attended by over 1,000
students and teachers whose study tours will start in the middle
of the month. Officiating at the launch ceremony were SAR Chief
Executive The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, Deputy Director of Liaison
Office of The Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Zou
Zhe Kai, Consul-General of the Republic of Singapore Mr Chan
Heng Wing, Consul General of The Federal Republic of Germany
Mr Wolfgang Gerz, Consul General of the United States of America
Mr Michael Klosson, Consul-General of Japan Mr Itaru Umezu,
Acting Consul-General of the United Kingdom Mr Andrew Seaton,
Acting Consul General of Australia Mr Steve Waters, Consul of
Sweden Ms Ann Arefeldt, and Assistant Director of Education
(Chief Inspector of Schools) of Education Department Advisory
Inspectorate Mr Tam Chun-kit. |
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