TWGHs Student Ambassador Exchange Programme 2018 “From Past to Future – Sustainable Development: Vancouver”
The TWGHs Student Ambassador Tour to Vancouver was held from 9 to 16 October 2018. Led by Mr. Vinci WONG, the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor, 28 students from TWGHs’ 18 secondary schools flew to Vancouver for a courtesy visit. Under the theme entitled “From Past to Future – Sustainable Development: Vancouver”, students met local Chinese and people from different fields to get to know Vancouver society and to delve into the living situation of Chinese in the local community.
During the tour, the Student Ambassadors visited organisations and units such as the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Vancouver, Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, The University of British Columbia, Royal BC Museum, and so on, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the city’s political, education and cultural development.
In order to gain some knowledge about the lives of the Chinese on a foreign land and learn Chinese culture from different perspectives, the Student Ambassadors visited different Chinese community organisations and met their representatives. Through first-person exchanges, they learnt the past and present life of the overseas Chinese, understanding the way they integrated into the society, as well as how they passed on the Chinese culture to their next generation. Students also paid a visit to the Hon. Teresa WAT, Member of Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, to learn the local legislative culture, the political participation of the overseas Chinese and the overall situation of Hong Kong immigrants. Through an in-depth discussion with the Hon. Teresa WAT, students were better informed about the challenges and opportunities faced by Hongkongers amid the development of Vancouver.
To broaden students’ horizon, visits to Fairchild Television and “The Science Behind Pixar” Exhibition were arranged to equip Student Ambassadors with the understanding of the local media and creative industry. Besides, students went on a trip to the city’s natural environment, visiting seasonal pumpkin field, and watching salmon runs and whales to nurture their sense of environmental conservation and being a world citizen.
Mr. Vinci WONG, the Chairman, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to organisations that offered their dedicated assistance to the tour, including the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Vancouver, The University of British Columbia, Ms. Teresa WAT, Member of Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Chinese Freemasons of Canada (Regina), Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver, for making the tour rewarding and fruitful. It is hoped that Student Ambassadors have gained some insights and inspirations for the possibilities of their personal development from different perspectives.
TWGHs Student Ambassador Exchange Programme was first introduced in 2015 to create opportunities for TWGHs students to learn different cultures, develop a diverse and multi-dimensional vison of the world and hone their leadership skills, organising skills and interpersonal skills. Meanwhile, the Programme aims at promoting the philanthropic spirit of the Group to different corners of the world through students’ introduction of the TWGHs’ services on several occasions during the tour. The Programme is fully funded by the Group’s “TWGHs Student All-rounded Development Fund”. Since its launch, the Programme has conducted successful tours to Los Angeles, London, San Francisco, Kaiping and Central China, nurturing around 130 Student Ambassadors with exponential learning results, and fully actualizing the Group’s mission of “all-round education”.
Since its establishment in 1870, TWGHs has been all along upholding its mission “To heal the sick and to relieve the distressed; to care for the elderly and to rehabilitate the disabled; to promote education and to nurture youngsters; and to raise the infants and to guide the children.” Nowadays, TWGHs is the largest charitable organisation with the longest history in Hong Kong. For over a hundred years, TWGHs’ medical and health, education and community services have developed rapidly to fulfill the needs of the society and to provide high quality services at low rates or for free. Today, TWGHs operates 321 services centres, including 5 hospitals and 30 Chinese and Western medicine services centres, 55 education services centres, 229 community services centres that cover elderly, youth and family, rehabilitation and traditional services, as well as the Tung Wah Museum and TWGHs Maisy Ho Archives and Relics Centre, which were established to promote, restore and preserve the heritage and relics of TWGHs, with an aim to protect and preserve local traditional culture.
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TWGHs Student Ambassadors visited Fairchild TV and participated in an interview programme with Mr. Vinci WONG, the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor of TWGHs, while getting to know the local media and creative industry.
Group photo of TWGHs Board Members and Student Ambassadors in the University of British Columbia, Canada.
TWGHs Student Ambassadors paid a visit to the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver and met with Ms. TONG Xiaoling, Consul General of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver.
Mr. Vinci WONG (left), the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor of TWGHs, presented souvenir to Ms. TONG Xiaoling, Consul General of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Vancouver.
Student Ambassadors learnt more about the foreign duties of Hong Kong Government during the talk hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Vancouver, Mr. Vinci WONG (right 5), the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor of TWGHs, and Student Ambassadors representatives presented souvenir to Ms Catherine Yuen (right 6), Principal Consultant of Western Canada, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Vancouver.
Mr. Vinci WONG, the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor of TWGHs, delivered a speech during the welcoming dinner hosted by TWGHs.
TWGHs Student Ambassadors performed A Capella during the welcoming dinner hosted by TWGHs.
TWGHs Board Members and Student Ambassadors paid a visit to the Chinese Freemasons of Canada (Regina) to deepen their understanding of the function and value of foreign Chinese associations.
Mr. Vinci WONG (front row), the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor of TWGHs, led the Student Ambassadors to visit the Chinatown in Vancouver to gain knowledge about the history of foreign Chinese.
Mr. Vinci WONG (front row, left 4), the Chairman cum Honorary Supervisor of TWGHs, led the Student Ambassadors to pay a visit to the Hon. Teresa WAT (front row, left 5) and delve into the legislative system of Victoria, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by Hongkongers amid the development of Vancouver.
TWGHs Student Ambassadors visited seasonal pumpkin field, and watched the salmon runs and whales in Victoria to gain an in-depth understanding of the natural habitat of Vancouver.