June 2011
VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 2
Editorial
E
ven as I write, changes are taking place in the world of mobile internet, social media and internet technology. There just seems to be no way to keep absolutely up-to-date.
Imagine then the dilemma for users! While young people seem to have a natural attitude and knack for these technological and communication changes, parents seem to have a harder time just to keep up. This issue of Youth Hong Kong discusses this and other issues related to mobile internet, talking to young people, parents, educators and others about how and where this technology will develop. What emerges is how to respond, adapt and utilize these advancements in a positive and creative way, while remaining vigilant to potential pitfalls as well. We look forward to hearing from you, maybe through your mobile internet!
Dr Rosanna Wong, DBE, JP Executive Director The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups June 2011
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Mobile internet:
getting on with it, getting into it by Elaine Morgan
The mobile internet is part of youth culture, but for the “digital immigrants” who were born before the 1980s and grew up without computers, getting going with it and keeping up with its pace of change can be a real challenge. Nevertheless, the mobile internet is a reality and anyone who wants to stay in touch with a young person’s world should know about it. 流動互聯網是青年文化不可或缺的部分。然而對於八零年代以前出生的「數碼移民」而言，要緊貼資訊科技的迅速發展，以至能有效地聯繫年 輕人和了解他們的世界，卻並非可以一蹴而就。
Keeping well connected The mobile internet presents a challenge but it also provides an opportunity to bridge the generational divide and communicate better across age groups. Hong Kong, with 83%1 of its households on broadband, has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. With an average of 22 hours spent online by everyone, every week, Hong Kong people of all ages are among the world’s most connected. We spend more time, on smartphones, netbooks, iPads and desktops, connected to the internet, than people in China or Britain. Forecasts for the mobile internet say that by 2012 there will be as many connected mobile phones as there are people in the world2, so we have a head start. However, although broadband penetration is high across all families, including those with a low income, this only applies to households with children in primary and secondary schools. The broadband penetration rate for low-income families without children is under 30%. This suggests that children’s education, requiring access to the internet for homework, is a compelling motivator to get online and to stay on the same digital “page”.3 The young use the mobile internet to stay in touch with the young, but mobile internet also lets adults stay in touch with them, the way they think, their goals, and the risks they take. As Donald says in her introduction to Youth, Society and Mobile Media in Asia, young people’s communication is “characterized by inventiveness, energy… and intense sociability.”4
We spend more time connected to the internet than people in China or Britain.
Narrowing generation gaps Adult anxieties may lead them to want to control that energy, because of the apparent risks online. Parents’ love and care mean they always worry about their children, both in the real world and now in the virtual world. If they are familiar with the features of that virtual world they can help the inexperienced deal with it, but that means using it and being informed about how young people use it. Innovative software applications at the heart of the mobile internet, such as social media, show how new channels of communication can create a bridge across the divide. According to one researcher from the marketing and investment company KPCB5, the mobile internet has a “SoLoMo” effect. It’s social, local and mobile. It maximizes sociable communication, with people near and far, on the move, at school, at work and at home. In the process of learning how to use the mobile internet, some parents open Flickr accounts or make Facebook “friends” with
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teenage sons and daughters. Grandparents, with more time at their disposal, maximize contact with distant family, sharing photo albums and news. There are still more adults than teenagers on Facebook at present and it is used for business purposes, not just social contact, on both smartphones and computers.
Netiquette, positive image and good judgement A worldly, media literate member of the older generation is in the best possible position to advise the young about online etiquette and self-presentation. Young people chat online, they plan meetings, and share photos. They compare views and hang out, seeking emotional support and self-validation. That’s when they also need to be learning about social norms and acquiring social literacy. That's when adults can help them. However, unlike the media many adults grew up with, the new social media are driven by their users, particularly the young. As Collier and Magid say in A Parents’ Guide to Facebook6, this is “a large swath of the wired and wireless social web that increasingly mirrors all of human life”. In real, human life, adults have more experience in handling risks and gauging potential. In “social media life”, it’s their responsibility to maintain media literacy and to pass on social literacy to the young.
Curiosity and youthful attitudes provide motivation. Buckingham, in Youth, Identity, and Digital Media, says, “Media literacy involves not only ways of understanding, interpreting and critiquing media, but also the means for creative and social expression.” For older people, curiosity and youthful attitudes provide motivation, as does wanting to help the young evaluate and sift information. Information overload is a serious problem for young and old alike and we all have to learn how to cope with it.
es l ag Mor or al e cho f s l e n ice of com munication chan
Keep up with change If we move with information technology, keeping pace with its changes, we’ll hone our evaluative judgment and sharpen our skills. With the mobile internet we also widen our communication channels and practise those skills wherever we are.
Notes and sources 1 Michael, David. The Connected Harbour. Boston Consulting Group, May 2011, p.9. 2 This figure is based on statistics which you can watch changing by the second at http://www.phonecount.com/pc/count.jsp, a source cited in http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Mobile_Internet_growth#cite_note-6. 3 http://www.futuregov.asia/blog/2011/apr/26/jeremy-godfrey-looking-back/ 4 Donald, Stephanie Hemelryk (Dean, Media and Communication, RMIT University of Melbourne.) Youth, Society and Mobile Media in Asia. London, New York: Routledge, 2010. 5 Doerr, John. In Murphy, Matt & Meeker, Mary. Top Mobile Internet Trends. KPCB, February 2011. 6 Collier, Anne and Magid, Larry. “A Parents’ Guide to Facebook.” ConnectSafely, 2011, http://www.staysafeonline.org/blog/%E2%80%9C-parents%E2%80%99guide-facebook%E2%80%9D-great-new-resource-connectsafelyorg-andikeepsafe-coalition.
Going mobile staying cool Professionals in various sectors talk about the salient features of the mobile internet and social media. The mobile internet has gained huge popularity in Hong Kong and growth on the mainland is one of the fastest in Asia. Social media is used heavily by young people as an integral part of the mobile internet. Young people need to present themselves wisely when social networking. Teachers and parents have to be aware of these factors in order to be effective mentors. 多位專業人士簡介流動互聯網和社交媒體的特徵。流動互聯網在香港日益流行，其在內地的增長乃亞洲之冠。青少年的生活與社交媒體息息相 關，他們必須加以善用來表達自己；師長亦應留意有關現象及趨勢，給予青少年適切的指導。
Growing up mobile
Thomas Crampton, Ogilvy Older people grew up with letters, talking
Mobile and enabled
through a wire on the wall. For young people
Youth aged 15-24 are early adopters of smartphones everywhere but compare Italy, top
communication can be instant, visual and
of the chart at 47%, and India on the bottom at 10%. China is at 29% and Hong Kong
multi-faceted. Every form of communication
at 24%.
has strengths and weaknesses. Talking face-to-face means you have to be in the communicate from anywhere, in any time zone, in a more collaborative way.
53%
62%
64%
67%
71%
71%
75%
90%
The growth of China’s mobile internet is one of the biggest trends in China and Asia.
29%
Source Nielsen News Release Hong Kong, December 2010 and March 2011
25%
10%
smartphones are coming down, partly
India
29%
Russia
UK
33%
China
36%
Germany
38%
US
47%
Spain
Fortunately prices of new tools like
Italy
Mobile feature phone
same place at the same time. Now we can
Smartphone
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Insight interviews
but the economy itself will be based around
because of competition. Not only socializing these new tools. The digital divide will grow between those who use them and those who don’t.
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Image by networkcultures (Flickr / Creative Commons)
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Presenting yourself
Social networking sites (SNS) such as
Young people need to understand the
RenRen, the closest mainland social media
consequences of their online behaviour.
to Facebook, are used a lot by university
Learn how to present themselves. But
students. YouTube equivalents on the
learning how to present yourself online
mainland are Tudou and Youku, but they’re
is not the same as learning how in real
more like online TV stations. Sina weibo and
life. Communication’s efficiency, scope
Tencent are favourites for microblogging.
and quality can been enhanced but body language and eye contact are missing.
Giving support
Don’t resist… get used to it.
Teachers and parents need to be social
Mobile phones are used to send nearly half
media users themselves to be effective
of the updates on these SNS. The growth of
mentors, otherwise an essential form of
China’s mobile internet is one of the biggest
support will be lacking. They need to get
trends in China and Asia. Know about it.
mobile and get on Facebook and realize that
Share it. Don’t resist it, get used to it.
the old Gutenberg era is over. Get mobile. Get on Facebook.
Thomas Crampton, Asia Pacific Director at Ogilvy Public Relations, was at the University of Virginia, the
Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and Trinity College Dublin. He is a former correspondent for the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune.
Psychological phenomena The appeal of social media is connecting with people you care about, sharing what you’re passionate about, developing individuality and sometimes experimenting with your identity. For this generation’s teens, the proliferation of social media has made peer competition and comparisons much more acute, personal, visual and intense. A term has been coined to describe a syndrome related to it: “FOMO” – the Fear of Missing Out.
…more acute, personal, visual and intense. Mutual trust Evaluating and then trusting information you find is another hurdle. Design features that convey trust include the little star icons you see on reviews site. When someone new is trying to connect with you, it also helps when you see the mutual friends you have in common.
Professional use Young professionals and the organizations that work with them should use social media to best advantage, collecting data via Facebook about page visits, demographics and information most sought. The social web provides an amazing arena for exercising creativity and sending emotive appeals. The young just make the most of it.
Cathy Ma, IPC Media
FOMO: a modern malaise
How many times a day do you check your email and text messages? Try switching off the computer, leaving your mobile at home and going out for the day. How does it feel? With Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn updates keeping them connected, many young people want to be available 24/7. Many fear that if they don’t check their social media during dinner they might miss something far too interesting. Something all their friends are twittering and updating about, even if many of them are only online friends. With everyone telling everyone else what they are doing every minute of the day you can feel left out if you switch off even for an hour. Know the feeling? Join the club. You’ve got a dose of FOMO.
Cathy Ma worked with major media companies including Vodafone and Yahoo! Europe before joining IPC
Media. She has Masters’ degrees in
Cultural and Creative Industries from
King’s College London and in sociology from the University of Hong Kong.
More online friends than offline in China
100
Close friends Online friends
80
Offline friends 60
40
20
Source MTV Music Matters Research courtesy of Thomas Crampton, Ogilvy
India
Australia
Vietnam
Philippines
Indonesia
Korea
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Singapore
China
Malaysia
0 Thailand
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Such leverage can be finely tuned but at present, quantity tends to outperform quality. That applies to both professional and personal uses. As young people mature they may become less active on the mobile internet but can still improve the quality of their portfolio.
India
Pakistan
Thailand
Indonesia
Philippines
0%
Malaysia
10%
Taiwan
Update content, leverage quality
20%
New Zealand
Young entrepreneurs need to bear that in mind. Social media users expect updates. To reach a savvy online community you need to have a dedicated team working on content updates.
30%
Australia
Interactivity and intensity are strong features of social media. When Facebook first appeared, we used to update it weekly. The wide availability of Wi-Fi changed that to daily. Now that microblogging on Facebook is possible on a mobile phone the intensity has grown to several times a day.
40%
Singapore
Vickie Ho, Ruder-Finn
50%
USA
social media profile
Proportion of population on Facebook
Hong Kong
Building a high-quality
Source Socialbakers.com courtesy of Thomas Crampton, Ogilvy
Hong Kong compared for intensity of internet use
In future, public sentiment depending, social media will be used for social discussion too. Web 3.0 will also make the online experience more real. It could bring touch, taste and smell.
Vickie Ho, Consultant at
Ruder-Finn, has a Masters in
Communications from Hong Kong Baptist University and is a former president of DragoNation, The Dragon Foundation’s1 alumni
association.
Facebook mobile: Hong Kong averages
• 660 million users worldwide • 72.5% aged 13-34 • 3.65m Facebook users in Hong Kong • 34.4% 25-40 years old • 37.1% 18-24 years old • 41% use Facebook on mobile phones
Sources http://socialmediatoday.com/kenburbary/276356/facebook-demographicsrevisited-2011-statistics (April 2011)
Nielsen News Release: Launch of New Generation Measurable Platform, Hong Kong March 2011
Source The Boston Consulting Group, http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_ content/untrusted_dlcp/www.connectedharbour.hk/en/hk/files/the-connectedharbour-may-2011.pdf
Hong Kong’s smartphone space
• 60% of all smartphone users are males aged 20-44 • 32% live in households with a combined income of HK$40,000+ Main Smartphone uses
41%
Hubert Chan is Chairman of the Communications Association
of Hong Kong and CEO of mobile
phone distributor, HKC International Holdings.
71%
44%
31%
text messaging
26%
66%
photography
We are looking forward to the greening of IT and hoping for lower energy consumption and lighter components. New Intel chips will have “3D” transistors. They are more energy-efficient and will enable notebook computers to run faster, on lower power and therefore will also extend battery life. 3D interactivity on mobile phones for GPS and video is coming too.
web surfing
Windows phone, foldable mobile screens and 3D
social networking sites
There is the fledgling Nokia-Microsoft partnership on the horizon for the Windows Phone with Bing, Xbox Live, and Office. It’s due by the end of this year. There will also be a foldable LCD for mobile phones. It’s not yet commercialized, but will fold like paper.
Smartphone ownership in Hong Kong doubled between 2009 and 2010. Devices include the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch as well as Android and Symbian systems with access to video, social networking, web surfing and other tools via downloaded apps.
Hubert Chan, HKC International
electronic news
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Hong Kong’s mobile space
• 193% mobile subscriber penetration • 97.3% of households with child aged 10 or more have at least 1 computer at home
• 87% of youth own a mobile phone, top in Asia • 83% of households with broadband connection • 69% of youth email: top internet activity (regional average: 53%) • 63% of youth do social networking • 58% search for information / use search engines • 58% listen to music online • 56% of Hong Kong youth are bloggers (regional average: 39%) • 47% participate in forums or discussion groups, top in Asia • 47% read online newspapers, second highest in Asia • 46% play online games • 9% are microbloggers • 13,000+ public Wi-Fi access points Sources http://www.synovate.com/news/article/extra/20100802/YoungAsians2010_ HKFactSheet_EN_Final.pdf (August 2010)
http://www.ofta.gov.hk/common/fn/printOpt.asp?zh=&docsrc=http%3A//www. ofta.gov.hk/en/datastat/key_stat.html (January 2011)
Source Nielsen News Release Hong Kong March 2011
Competitive smartphones
The top 5 smartphone vendors are Nokia, Apple, RIM, Samsung, and HTC. Nokia is currently the world biggest rendor. iPhone sales grew 114% year over year and overall, the smartphone market grew almost 80% in the first quarter of 2011. Smartphones are changing how users choose their mobile phones. Increasingly, they want features such as push email, mobile internet and Microsoft Office as well as a touchscreen and the QWERTY keyboard. In Hong Kong, look and feel is the predominant deciding factor for 32% of consumers purchasing a new mobile device, followed by brand. Sources http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_ view&newsLang=en&newsId=20110505007011
http://www.zmotion.com.hk/smartpone_usage/
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Google: a socialized search engine
Hong Kong wants: next mobile phone Operating system 7% Model of handset 6% Input method 8% Brand of network 4% Content / apps 19% Brand of handset 19%
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The recent Digital Lifestyle Information Survey 2011 revealed the extent of an information overload syndrome. Half those surveyed said they were connected to the web every moment of their waking lives. 72% described their own data stream as “a roaring river”. How can that deluge be transformed into a more manageable flow? Filtering by endorsement is one way. Google have introduced a “+1” button which allows users to endorse by recommending search results to others. Sources http://www.slideshare.net/steverosenbaum/the-digital-lifestyle-survey
Look and feel of device 32%
Accessories 2% Other 3%
http://mashable.com/2011/05/10/google-1-websites/
Yahoo! top search engine in Hong Kong
Comparing Google, Baidu and MSN with Yahoo!, Google is dominant in most countries, but not all. Depending on the statistics you use, Hong Kong is one of the exceptions, as are Japan, The Philippines and Taiwan. However, according to another source, Google Hong Kong became the city’s favourite search engine in December last year. Sources http://royal.pingdom.com/2011/04/29/where-yahoo-still-beats-google/
http://www.agogdigital.com/blog/2010/12/101/
Sources http://www.hktdc.com/info/mi/a/hkti/en/1X073C2Y/1/Hong-Kong-TraderInternational-Edition/Calling-All-Smart-Movers.htm
Tuangou: love for a deal YBHK supports Play More
Play More Limited, which grew with support from HKFYG’s Youth Business Hong Kong (YBHK), is a third successful apps start-up. Post80s generation young entrepreneurs Andy Chan Yiu-chun and Alex Lau Kwong-lik founded the company and created low-cost iPhone game apps such as Chinese Checkers. The app has become popular around the world. Andy and Alex said of their business: “American companies are very keen on making highquality mobile apps with attractive graphics. Rather than competing with them directly, we put more effort into the creativity of the app and keeping costs down. Innovation in ideas will always remain our core strategy in the future.”
32﹣year-old Danny Yeung moved the base of ubuyibuy, a group buying site, to Hong Kong from Guangdong before selling the business to US-based Groupon, known as the world’s fastest-ever growing business. Beecrazy is one of its strong local competitors, Jennifer Cheng, its Vice-President says 70% of its users are women aged 18-40. Team-buying, known as Tuangou on the mainland, has been popular there for centuries. Reported by The Economist in 2006 as a new phenomenon on the mainland, today, it has turned haggling into an internet art-form. Source http://www.economist.com/printedition/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=7121669
Microsoft’s Cloud Connect for schools and NGOs
The Cloud Connect Initiative has been launched by Microsoft to help Hong Kong NGOs and schools take advantage of cloud technology, thereby increasing mobile connectivity and digital social involvement. It offers NGOs and schools charity and educational pricing respectively, for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Microsoft Live@edu with Microsoft Exchange Online, and Microsoft Business Productivity Online Standard Suite. Source http://www.microsoft.com/hk/presspass/viewpress.aspx?yr=2011&mo=06&dy=08
Youth Hong Kong
Image by dullhunk (Flickr / Creative Commons)
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Facebook around the world
Just the beginning Commissioned by Google, The Connected Harbour2, a report by The Boston Consulting Group, released in May this year, tells how e-commerce opportunities and the emerging mobile internet will combine to make Hong Kong a data centre hub. Double-digit growth in spending on mobile devices and mobile internet access here is anticipated by 2015, and businesses of all sizes can take advantage of the phenomenon. Mobile apps developers have already seen triple-digit growth and the increased use of smartphones, e-readers and tablets will further change behaviour. Incubating entrepreneurial spirit among internet start-ups will also contribute to growth. To name but a few home-grown examples, there is Baby-Kingdom.com, one of the world’s largest parenting resources, ubuyibuy.com and Play More Limited (see box p.11).
What's next While in other parts of the world smartphones are the tools businessmen and the playthings of fashionconscious consumers, in Hong Kong they are already in the domain of the general populace. As the authors of The Connected Harbour say, “the internet is indispensable to the territory’s position as a global trading hub and is crucial for its future success… we anticipate that Hong Kong’s adoption of the internet will intensify in the near future, with mobile internet access being one of the key driving forces." Hong Kong people also know that as soon as one novelty becomes familiar another takes its place. iCloud software and Apple’s Lion operating system were the latest at time of writing but they probably won’t be by the time you read this. Something new will have joined the bandwagon and we can all jump at any chance to use what's on that bandwagon, whatever our age. Sources 1 The Dragon Foundation is administered by HKFYG. Its mission is to support young Chinese people who have demonstrated leadership skills. 2 http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/www.connectedharbour.hk/en/hk/files/the-connected-harbour-may-2011.pdf
Youth speak
13
Social mediath
as you like it
Students and young entrepreneurs give views on social media and mobile phones. Facebook and texting are their two main uses and Facebook is the most popular social networking site in Hong Kong. It is used mainly to stay connected, share photos and organize gatherings. True and false online information, cyber-bullying, online social skills, public identity and emotional blackmail, social media for work and parents on social media are discussed. 青年學生與創業家藉訪談表達應用社交媒體和智能手機的意見，Facebook 和短訊是他們聯繫朋友、分享照片、相約聚會的常用途徑。其中幾 位以博客形式交流互動，分享社交媒體與資訊真偽、網絡欺凌、網絡禮儀、個人形象，以至工作和家庭的關係。
How do you use your mobile phone?
Friends every day?
Tony, 18, Year 1 in Global Business: “My smartphone is a good tool for web surfing, email and news. Not so much for social media. I usually do that in my dorm or at home.”
Steven, 15, S4: “I use SNS 4 hours a day. Communicating with friends and knowing what’s going on in their lives is so important to me.” He has about 300 friends on Facebook.
Rainbow, 22, Year 3 in Business, switched to a smartphone seven months ago: “It is attractive and I can go on Facebook and check urgent email wherever I am. But texting and listening to music is still on the top of my list.”
Rainbow checks Facebook whenever she has time. “That can be up to 10 times a day.” She has more than 900 friends.
Clive, a young social entrepreneur: “I’m using an iPhone 4. Social media, email and electronic news are all equally important.” Regis, 19, Year 1 in Accounting and Finance: “Texting is the main use of my phone. After that comes checking Facebook and taking photos.”
Julia, 20, Year 1 in medicine, is at the opposite end of the spectrum, spending only 10 minutes a day on Facebook. Ben, 14, S3, is an exception. “I don’t have any social media account. I only watch my friends using Facebook.”
Photo by le niners (Flickr / Creative Commons)
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Youth speak
Why social media?
• Learning anywhere, anytime
• Photo-sharing
Angel, 14, S3, associates SNS with her studies. “I use the e-learning platform at school. Teachers upload learning materials. We have a different kind of interaction on the internet.”
Ralph, 14, S3: “When you can take a picture with a smartphone, you can share it with everyone instantly. It makes you feel good to be connected.” Jane, 15, S3, agreed. “It’s quicker looking at my friends’ photo albums than getting them by email or MSN.”
• Keeping in touch Agnes, 19, S7: “Photos and written updates tell my friends where I am.” Ji-ji, a young design consultant: “Facebook helps me to reconnect with schoolmates I haven’t seen for 10 years.” Kelvin, doing a master’s degree in sports and leisure management: “It makes people feel less lonely and you find people wish each other Happy Birthday more because they know all the dates of birth.”
• Bridging divides Clive commented, “People are both busy and lazy. Facebook is a fabulous tool. It lets you organize events and is especially good for connecting with people in different countries.” Lily and Mira, both 16, S4, think that organizing gatherings is an essential feature of Facebook. “It is an effective medium to bring long-lost friends together,” said Lily.
Tweety, 14, S3, says that without the mobile internet she would be “bored. It would be very inconvenient doing my homework without it.”
Sometimes it’s convenient, but sometimes it’s just too much. Are online friends real or imagined? Most of these young people have 200-400 friends on Facebook. It seems a lot to the older generation but they say they don’t accept all invitations to become a “friend”. Joyce, 18, S6: “Many people just keep adding friends, sometimes without checking their profiles first.” “A friend of mine thought I was someone else with the same name as mine,” said Ken, 17, S5. “I also found some advertising where people who called themselves ‘friends’ were not real people.” Julia tries her best to adjust the security level of her account but thinks strangers can still access some of her photos. “The idea
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that strangers can get hold of my personal details stops me using Facebook much.”
people I don’t know. All I can do is to control personal information visible to everyone: no mobile numbers, no personal address.”
Kelvin says, on the other hand, “Some people worry that users lie about themselves on SNS. I don’t think so. We actually express ourselves more freely and honestly.”
How common are problems?
What are the pros and cons? Sharpe, 17, S6: “SNS is good for extending your social network especially with friends overseas who are interested in Hong Kong.” Regis thought it was very convenient and offered bargains too. “By joining Fan Pages I can get discount coupons very easily.” Ben thinks SNS is like 2 sides of a coin. “We can get news and information with just a few clicks, but it’s often redundant and repetitive. It can also be fake.”
[A smartphone] allows me to go on Facebook and check urgent email wherever I am. Joyce agreed. “Sometimes I think it’s convenient, but sometimes it’s just too much. In some cases, I don’t even know whether I should believe it or not.” Clive saw both sides. “I have over 3,000 friends on Facebook. Many I met at conferences but I also receive friend invitations from
Ken was a victim himself. “My photos were put on HKGolden forum. I was furious. The bad comments were from people I didn’t really know. I felt so helpless.” Rainbow also had problems. “Some Facebook apps invite people to click the ‘Like’ box to join a Fan Page but it’s actually just a form of viral automatic promotion. Once, I had to ‘un-tag’ my friends and leave the page.”
I have over 3,000 friends on Facebook. All I can do is to control personal information visible to everyone.
Disconnection blues? Clive was disconnected from the internet for 3 months once on the mainland. “It was terrible. I felt lifeless. No Facebook messages, no phone numbers. It took a long time to get used to.” Kelvin found it difficult: “A 6-day train trip from Russia to China was hard. I was totally used to being always connected with my smartphone and computer.”
Blogs on social networking These blogs and comments were created by the young people who feature on pages 13-15.
June 2011
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Youth speak
Connectivity and loneliness by Sharpe Hong Kong adolescents are individualistic so Facebook meets their needs precisely. Users create personal profiles with photos, personal interests and contact information, attracting friends’ attention with updates. Facebook is also convenient for checking friends’ news. Teenagers tend to vent their feelings on their “walls” and that attracts comments quickly. With a single click on the “Like” feature you can express concern even if you can’t think what to say. Social networking connects people on different continents and breaks down social boundaries. From civilians to government officials and political leaders like Donald Tsang and President Obama, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts promote public images and draw followers. Facebook is even a tool for anti-government activities. Activist Wael Ghonim set up Facebook groups calling for protests against government dictatorship in Egypt and the president was overthrown. The same method spread the Jasmine Revolution outwards from Tunisia. From self-affirmation to affirming others’ identity, from peace to war, Facebook plays a major role. It is essential to us and we should use it effectively to maximize its advantages. Facebook will probably cause ripples around the globe for years to come. 9 people like this.
Rainbow It’s true! Facebook strengthens bonds between people. It helps celebrities and politicians market their image and get closer to young people. Regis Sharpe is right. Facebook is so charismatic that it connects people quickly. It also represents freedom of speech.
Sherif9282 (wikimedia)
Parents and social networking by Agnes When we flip through the newspaper, it’s not unusual to find stories about family conflict caused by youngsters’ addiction to computers, being obsessed with SNS and spending far more time on it than on study or sleep. My parents did not approve either at first. They thought it would affect my studies and I might meet strangers. Luckily, we didn’t argue but talked about it. They reminded me about protecting my personal information and my mum even set up a Facebook account and we became “friends.” When she finds it difficult to use new apps, I teach her. It’s another platform for communication and it improves our relationship. This is a good, family way of using SNS. 12 people like this.
Rainbow I really appreciate your parents’ efforts. My parents don’t use Facebook but they did talk to me about SNS and try to understand. Ken Parents often have strict rules about children using computers. So your parents are great Agnes! Rainbow, we share a common view about parent-child conflict. SNS can be used to reduce both the generation gap and the digital divide. Regis My parents encourage me to use SNS to practise my written English and Chinese, as well as my typing skills. They have a Facebook account too so we can catch up with each other when I stay in the dorm. Connie You’re lucky. My mum has no idea what’s going on and my dad shouts at me for doing Facebook. Paul Walsh (Flickr)
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True and false information on the internet by Joyce “If you printed all the information on the internet, you would use up 45 million ink cartridges, representing 500,000 litres of ink. It would take you 3,805 years if you used only one printer. The book formed would weigh 544 million kilograms and stand 3,048 feet tall. If you read it 24/7, it would take about 57,000 years to finish it.1” The quantity of information on the internet has sky-rocketed due to technological advances but false information has spread everywhere at the same time. How can we distinguish between true and false information? First, read information on websites carefully, especially those which are unfamiliar. Second, visit various websites to cross-check sources before trusting the information. Always bear in mind that the information may not be genuine. The internet is a medium which allows us to get information from all corners of the globe with a few clicks. But in 2010, there were 10,000 new fake websites per month, ten times the number in 2004. Let’s be cautious, protect ourselves and enjoy surfing the net healthily! Source 1 http://www.cartridgesave.co.uk/news/if-you-printed-the-internet/ 18 people like this.
Agnes Yes! We youngsters should be analytical in order to screen out fake websites and false information. It’s especially essential when doing school projects. Rainbow I was really amazed by your statistics Joyce! I really hope that one day, everyone will be disciplined and the internet can be trusted all the time. Regis As university students, we have to stay alert when quoting internet sources for essays. We need to scan and judge the information, especially on wikis. Don’t just copy what is useful but evaluate wisely. Ken Fake information can be disastrous! See how widespread the salt rumour was during the nuclear threat in Japan. I agree with Joyce’s view, as expressed by philosopher René Descartes: begin by doubting the truth of everything, then you’ll see the truth eventually.
Cyber-bullying and harassment by Ken Cyber-bullying and harassment are extreme forms of verbal violence, a harmful by-product of the internet. Not many people have experienced cyber-bullying, but everyone can contribute to it, simply by a careless word. However, when harassment is done collectively, it can create huge mental trauma. Cyber-bullying can be reduced if not eliminated, but few people are Good Samaritans trying to stop it. Most people just let it continue. Because of peer pressure, web surfers are afraid of being different and might directly or indirectly proliferate cyber-bullying. Cyber-harassment happens every day too. When a stranger starts to follow you on Twitter, he may be stalking you which is psychologically intimidating. It’s always best to start with oneself to reduce cyber-bullying and harassment. 8 people like this.
Rainbow I agree that peer pressure is involved in cyber-bullying. A friend of mine who had been on his computer for just a few minutes said in that short time, some of his “friends” changed his Facebook name. This really bothered him a lot! Adrian Can’t you see the funny side? It’s just teasing. If you don’t like it, get off Facebook.
rishibando (Flickr)
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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Youth speak
Online social skills by Rainbow Social media has fully penetrated young people’s lives. Being a post-80s youngster, I use it to build my network of friends. However, Facebook can create problems if we don’t use it properly.
le niners (Flickr)
I adjust my privacy settings so that only “friends” can read my Wall. That prevents people I don’t know from browsing my photos. I don’t put my personal information or photos of me with friends on public display without their consent. I imagine that every “friend”, including classmates, teachers, colleagues and possibly future employers, might read my posts. So I always remind myself not to use ambiguous or unpleasant words. I check what I have written before I click “Post”. When I write Facebook notes, they are usually about 300 words each, not too short, so my viewpoint is clear. Online social media is a powerful tool which strengthens bonds but without careful handling it can turn into a weapon. 10 people like this.
Ken I really appreciate the way you handle posts and notes. It matters because it creates a “clean” atmosphere for other users. Positive comments definitely enhance relationships.
Zoe I love posting silly photos. The more we all do it, the less it will bother anyone… Agnes Don’t Facebook’s mistakes in facial recognition bother you and your friends, Zoe? I agree with Rainbow. We should consider the consequences of posting photos and notes. Content and wording definitely influence others’ impression of us.
Public identity and emotional blackmail by Regis Facebook is the world’s main social networking tool so its privacy problems have become a global issue. Given the way it works, users are strongly recommended to pay careful attention. Facebook began as a pretty private place with your personal information well-protected. But it’s not easy to track changes of privacy settings so your data may be disclosed to other parties through the “Like” buttons, actions of your “friends” and Facebook apps. It is also difficult to delete your Facebook account and remove your data. Deactivating the account is simple, but your friends will know, and they will say how sad they are to see you leave. This is an example of social networking engaging in emotional blackmail. Somehow it makes you keep on using Facebook. Though Facebook presents potential privacy problems, it has hundreds of millions of users especially teenagers. All we can do is try to minimize the amount of personal information we provide. 13 people like this.
Agnes Regis is right. More attention should be paid to privacy problems since IT is not 100% safe when it comes to protecting personal data. Computer viruses and breakdowns also pose threats. Rainbow In fact, I can’t accept the way an SNS changes privacy settings without telling its users. We need to keep an eye out and remind each other, especially at work. As a professional I may use it less. Ken I can’t agree more with Rainbow. Newspapers say that personal information will be disclosed to more than 20 advertising firms through apps! This annoys SNS users like us.
opensource.com (Flickr)
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What mobile social media means to young entrepreneurs Young people who are in business say they depend on social media via the mobile internet in Hong Kong and mainland China. It adds an extra dimension to communication. Clive Lee is Director of ECSEL1 and Founding President of GEILI2. “Before using social media, I had to think about what I could do with limited resources. With social media I have learned how to make things happen with no resources. I use Facebook and RenRen for promotion and to recruit volunteers. Google Analytics monitors views in the countries where ECSEL operates and informs us about the effectiveness of our promotions. Online social media also help us organize events. We don’t need to reply to every enquiry because we can post answers on social media. We can also get feedback this way. And I don’t even need an office.” Joanna Wu, 22, from Chengdu in Sichuan, founded a company to support the post-2008 earthquake recovery of the tea industry. She echoed Clive. “Potential clients discuss our products on QQ. We also use RenRen and Sina weibo because they help us save time and money.”
Photo by Yataka Tsutano (Flickr / Creative Commons)
Emma Chen Xiangdian, 35, founded visavisNet in 2009, an online e-publications network that uses social media to provide green technical solutions. “The value of our social media project is not only the message it sends but also the opportunity it offers to be involved in a solutions-based network.”
Jiawei Zhang founded WeCanCompete, an open online platform that tells students about interesting programmes and scholarships. “We use social media to inform our members about upcoming opportunities as well as to market the company. People’s suggestions help us to be more innovative but the site is not a wiki. Our editors control it, keeping it real and valuable.” Wang Chongying, 33, founded the China Autism Development School after doing a D.Phil. at Oxford. “Through social media we have publicized the business. In turn that drove us to be innovative and grow faster.” Carrie Zhang, an MBA student at Tsinghua University, is 22. She has already raised over 3 million RMB in venture capital to support 3H Health Information Services. “The first step for budding entrepreneurs is to let others know what we’re doing and why it’s important. Social media helped me do that innovatively.” All of the young people who speak in this section live in a world where the mobile internet is a fact of life. It penetrates every aspect, from school to leisure to work. Now it’s the older generation’s turn to get used to something new and it may not be Facebook. Millions are already closing accounts and moving on. However instant communication on mobile media may become, it still cannot replace meeting people face to face or talking to them on the phone. Reallife social skills are vital and many have to be learned. The mobile internet can impede or hasten the process but nuance of tone and gesture are more difficult to achieve. These factors weigh in the balance for all whose goal is truly effective communication.
Notes 1 The young entrepreneurs quoted on this page are all fellows of ECSEL, Empowering Chinese Social Enterprise Leaders. They participate in a scholarship programme in Hong Kong and the US which includes an annual conference supported by The William J Clinton Foundation. 2 GEILI: Global Exchange in Leadership Initiatives
mLearning: mobile tools in and out of school
Photo courtesy of Fung Kai Innovative School
June 2011
Youth Hong Kong
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School views
Plenty of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom
This article looks at what’s happening in mobile learning, Hong Kong style. Some of the advantages and disadvantages for various groups of learners are explored and some examples of projects, apps and devices adapted to local conditions are described. 本文概述流動學習在香港的情況，並探討此趨勢為不同青少年學習 群體帶來的優點和缺點，同事亦介紹一些配合本港教育情況而推行 的學習計劃、研發的應用軟件及硬件。
What is mLearning? Mobile learning has many different definitions and is known by many different names, including mLearning, uLearning, personalized learning, ubiquitous learning, anytime/anywhere learning, and handheld learning.1 No matter what its name, mobile learning and the tools used for it are an integral part of eLearning. And the concept is here to stay. Some schools ban the use of the personally owned tools that are used for mLearning, such as smartphones, iPads and tablet PCs. Others embrace them. Some schools require students to bring their own gadgets or provide them on campus. The hardware is used for reading websites and electronic books, for completing assignments
School views
and doing homework, documenting field trips, collecting and analyzing data, and much more. Combine the hardware with educational modules and apps, and you’ve got mobile learning. It can happen anywhere: in a classroom, on the bus, in the park. Portability is important but the essential is being able to connect, communicate, collaborate, and create. With access to so much content anytime and anywhere, there are plenty of opportunities to learn both inside and outside the classroom and the disengaged learner may become more motivated. As Stephen Fennelly, Vice Principal at the English Schools Foundation Bradbury School said, “The unmotivated are not always going to respond. Some young people just prefer to sit quietly and learn by reading on their own. But new technology does have novelty value and lessons become a lot more dynamic.”
What are the pros and cons of mLearning devices? advantages • they are space-efficient • they are lighter and less bulky than bags full of files, paper and textbooks • they make working collaboratively more practical and more efficient • learners can interact online, quickly with each other and the educator • size, shape, weight and portability make them particularly effective for the disabled • tablet PCs include text-to-speech and voice recognition as standard tools
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disadvantages • small screens limit amount and type of information displayed • small buttons and stylus pens can be difficult for people with poor manual dexterity • batteries have to be charged regularly or data can be lost • they can be much less robust than desktops • they have limited storage capacity
What’s happening? Since Youth Hong Kong last looked at eLearning in June 2009 the use of mobile devices and eLearning has grown significantly. Now it is used extensively in Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools and late last year a three-year government pilot scheme was launched to develop and evaluate eLearning and its implications for mobile learning. However, as one primary school IT panel head said, “Only well-funded schools can really develop eLearning. I think the best solutions should be available to all schools. They must also be cheap and efficient.” The Hong Kong Pilot Scheme on eLearning 2011-20142 consists of 21 pilot projects in primary, secondary and special schools and partnerships with academics, educational publishers and the IT sector. Pilot schools act as research and development centres, using IT with appropriate integration into the curriculum. Mr She Mang, Chief Curriculum Development Officer (Information Technology in Education) Education Bureau,3 said: “Using mobile devices to enhance learning is covered in the pilot. We will see how the solutions evolve before coming up with a decision on possible wider deployment of mobile devices for learning.” The cost of such devices is dropping and many are cheaper now than desktop computers.
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School views
terres 21 ( Flickr)
Lighter and less bulky than bags full of files, paper and textbooks Engaging learners Mr. She says that the HKSAR Government is taking measures aimed at ensuring that no child will be prevented from accessing the internet at home and it can be expected that such devices will naturally be taken into consideration: “The measures include provision of a subsidy amounting to $1,300 a year per household for families in receipt of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) or with school children receiving full School Textbook Assistance. Furthermore, the Government has helped to set up two social enterprises to ensure that appropriate internet access as well as affordable computers be made available to needy families. Stephen Fennelly of Bradbury School commented on hardware, “Pupils share laptops that are bought by the school. When schools go one-to-one with laptops, there can be more issues with misuse in class but we have had no discipline problems.”
Apps and online platforms Promoting New Literacies in Hong Kong Schools (NLP)4 a project set up by the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong, aims to enhance teaching and learning in the English language curriculum. Tools, some of which are available as
smartphone or Facebook apps, include bubbl.us, ToonDoo.com free multi-language cartoon software, PBworks a free wiki, and Photo Story. Knowledge Forum™5 is an online platform used by about 20 Hong Kong schools in a project run by the University of Toronto in Asia, the Americas, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The University of Hong Kong is a partner institution. Knowledge Forum allows posting of messages, searching for information, uploading documents, and doing online homework or project work. It is based on knowledge-building theory. iClass6 is a home-grown app for local schools developed by HKU’s Faculty of Engineering. iClass 2.0, a web-based application with mobile apps available for download from the Apps store, was launched in May this year. It requires students to have an iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone. Teachers can upload images or text, and students can write, draw or modify them during class. When work is submitted to the teacher, the system automatically generates statistics and the teacher can easily see mistakes. There is also a review function for both Facebook and Moodle.7 Stephen Fennelly describes Moodle as “a hub, with messaging, forums and links. It is internet-based and integrated with Google but hosted on the school’s own server.”
School views
ePublishing Creating digital school textbooks is a logical part of the strategy for eLearning solutions. Prof Chak Wong of the Faculty of Business Administration at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, writing about the economics of textbook production and the need to develop a different market structure with lower development and marketing costs, writes, “We can borrow a page from the iTunes Store of Apple and from Wikipedia. We need to create a digital environment that is friendly for school texts, similar to Amazon's Kindle. The syllabus may be divided into small modules, to allow small publishers or individual teachers to work on each module or even part of it, avoiding excessive costs and risks entailed in developing a whole textbook. Each approved module could be sold separately, online, by the Education Bureau. Teachers may be encouraged to help with publication of textbooks, through a bonus system that rewards teachers who produce high quality teaching materials… We need about 200 schools, with about 200,000 pupils, to make such
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as animations and PowerPoint files. A pilot study in schools is taking place and the price is expected to be US$80-100.
What next? The future depends partly on findings of these pilot projects but other experiments may also have an impact. One US scheme lets secondary students use a central university Virtual Computing Lab wherever they are. The Lab has economies of scale and can give students free mobile access to all the latest software, like ADOBE Dreamweaver, InDesign, Microsoft Office and Illustrator. The study is being run in IBM’s Research Triangle Park Center for advanced studies. There are implications for distance learning and personalized learning anywhere in the world. Many Hong Kong teachers are well aware of the potential of mLearning. As one senior secondary staff member said, “We use blogs and wikis to teach languages; students do group essays and group projects with discussion forums… Interactivity can extend the space and time of learning.”
Next step in learning: interactive mobile app from HKFYG Exam Broadband ( 公考寬頻 ), a new mobile app from HKFYG, has an A-level result calculator, finds accredited, self-financed postsecondary programmes and further education information. It is free from the App Store and at the Android Market.
A digital environment that is friendly for school texts a program work. The cost of adopting the electronic reader would be about HK$200 million, assuming that we are going to subsidize poorer students.8” CityBook9, devised by electronic engineering students at City University to promote eLearning at local primary and secondary schools looks like an iPad but is lighter and about the size of a double-sided 5R photo. It incorporates a touch-screen and students can do homework as well as download data or assignments such
Notes and sources 1 LSIS Quality Improvement Agency, Mobile learning 2011, http://www. excellencegateway.org.uk/page.aspx?o=135556. 2 Chen, Kenneth Wei-on, ICT in Education: a Hong Kong Perspective, January 2011, http://www.slideshare.net/usedhksar/background-on-it-in-education-inhong-kong. 3 Kenneth Chen Wei-on is Chair of the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Information Technology in Education which is chaired by Under Secretary for Education, Education Bureau. She Mang is Secretary to the Committee. 4 With thanks to Margaret M Lo and Scarlet Poon, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong for assistance with information on Promoting New Literacies in Hong Kong Schools, http://www3.hku.hk/literacy/. 5 http://www.stts.edu.hk/upload/general/STTS_Dev_Projects_0708.pdf, http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_Forum and http://www.knowledgeforum.com/ Kforum/products.htm. 6 http://www.eee.hku.hk/~iclass/iclass%20leaflet.pdf and http://www.chinadaily. com.cn/hkedition/2011-04/19/content_12349224.htm. 7 Moodle™ is a free eLearning platform with an interactive environment for providing lesson content for students. For more on Moodle see http://www.wazmac.com/ quickstarts/pdf/moodle/01-moodle-whatis.pdf. 8 Wong, Chak, “The Economics of Textbooks”, China Daily Clips, 4 May 2011, http:// www.cdeclips.com/en/hongkong/The_economics_of_textbooks/fullstory_65161. html. 9 Cheng, Karen, “CityU to develop e-book for local primary and secondary school students”, City U News Centre, 14 December 2010, http://wikisites.cityu.edu.hk/ sites/newscentre/en/Pages/201012141751.aspx. 10 http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/23/v-print/1217291/how-students-learn-inthe-cloud.html 11 Thanks to ESF Bradbury School’s Vice Principal, Stephen Fennelly, to HKFYG Lee Shau Kee College and to Mr Andy Li for providing information and views.
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P a re n t s ’ p e r s p e c tives
Catching up and keeping up Five parents volunteered to talk about their children’s online habits, both mobile and when at home. Their backgrounds, attitudes and levels of tolerance vary, but they all realize they must come to terms with today’s internet-connected world and try to keep up with its changes. 五位家長分享他們子女使用流動互聯網和家居網絡之習慣。儘管他們的背景不同，對互聯網的看法及接受程度亦有異，但他們均同意現今互 聯網與日常生活息息相關，為免與年青一代脫節，必須努力嘗試了解其趨勢變化，並參與其中。
Tanya, an interior designer in her late 30s, has a son and daughter at primary school. She enforces strict, matter-of-fact limits with her children and is sure that they are beneficial.
Eric, a 66-year-old retired construction worker living in To Kwa Wan with his young wife and 14-year-old son, struggles, both with him and with computers, but their communication problems have been eased by a social worker and his own efforts.
FORMING RULES They have two hours a day after school and the computer automatically logs off at 6pm. Their school has its own social network site but they don’t spend too much time on it, perhaps because computer time is precious. I’m quite strict about the information they give on any site and I tell them that the internet can never hold any secrets. They only have an old mobile phone which they are allowed to use when they have after-school activities.
RECOGNIZING PROBLEMS I’ve always been concerned about the amount of time my son spends on the computer although he seems to know what he’s doing. He convinced me and his mother that he needed to be logged on for homework and I admit that due to my limited knowledge, I let him have his own way. But I was wary. Finally, when he couldn’t hold a normal conversation with us and his behaviour became more and more bizarre, I decided to contact a social worker. She put me in touch with a clinical psychologist.
…as the adults, they should make the rules and children should abide by them. TRYING TO COPE The social worker identified the problem for me: not quite an addiction, but moving in that direction. She encouraged him to participate in outdoor sports and he joined a
Parents make internet rules and children abide by them BEING CONFIDENT Parents can be intimidated by the internet and assume they can’t supervise or guide but I believe that as the adults, they should make the rules and children should abide by them. This is true even though they have much better online skills, particularly for solving technical problems.
Photo by wentongg (Flickr/Creative Commons)
Photo by Ford APA (Flickr/Creative Commons)
USING COMMON SENSE All I can do is educate, tell them to be wary of predators in the real world and doubly vigilant in the virtual world. There may be no foolproof way of developing digital literacy, but I believe critical awareness is partly common sense. This is not an exclusively “internet” issue.
Lack of normal conversation
Parents’ perspectives
COPING STRATEGIES It’s better now but there still have to be constant reminders and I have to be vigilant. I must say that I don’t fully trust her yet. I check her internet history and I still watch who she chats to online. If she’s flirting with strangers I stop her.
basketball programme. In my opinion, he still spends too long on the computer, but I’ve installed a timer on it, so it switches off before midnight. GETTING BETTER Maybe my son realizes that I am not trying to stop him using the internet all together and he knows I want to learn. Now he teaches me how to type Chinese and how to check stocks and shares. My main problem is the Chinese input, so I mainly use the handwriting instead. Nevertheless, I still worry and I know that I nag too much.
GETTING ALONG I don’t want this to be a one-way street of me telling her what to do and her obeying so I’ve made a big effort to learn from her as well. She enjoys this reversal of roles and has taught me how to shop online and how to use Facebook. We’re Facebook friends too now! The fact is that I worry more if she goes out because then I can’t see what she’s doing. I try to combine hard and soft approaches as the counsellor advised and usually something works.
I worry more if she goes out because then I can’t see what she’s doing.
Photo courtesy of Ogilvy
Patty, a real estate vendor in her 40s with a teenage daughter, was very worried about internet addiction and predators so she got advice from HKFYG too. FEELING ANXIOUS My working hours are irregular and I don’t always know how much time my daughter spends on the internet. I became very concerned when I heard she had missed school because she was too tired to go. When I realized how much personal information she was sharing on her Facebook account, with photographs as well, I asked her to delete them. I was not happy about the language she used online either. But the final straw came when I caught her chatting with a stranger online, a male. That’s when I asked HKFYG counsellors what to do.
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Teens use all sorts of internet platforms and apps
Photo by San Jose Library (Flickr/Creative Commons)
I have to trust her, but I will never really know, will I? Anna, an IT-savvy librarian in her early 50s with a teenage daughter thinks it’s pointless to spy on her and prefers face-to-face communication. KEEPING UP I rarely do Facebook. It would be too distracting and time-consuming, but my IT skills are up-to-date and I understand what my daughter does online. Nonetheless, she still has things to teach me. Teens use all sorts of platforms and apps we don’t know about. They can “go” anywhere, anytime, at practically no extra cost to the household budget.
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P a re n t s ’ p e r s p e c t ives
FORMING SOUND JUDGEMENTS Cyberspace is a real dimension for teenagers so they need to execute similar judgement and decision-making as in the real world. I don’t think I can supervise. It’s better to leave it to her to manage her own time. If I spy on her she just gets irritated. But the basic rule is no wireless access after midnight. OPENING CHANNELS We share online news stories, watch TV and movies together, then talk about internet issues. We also agree that parents should resolve arguments with children via a daily communication channel. That’s the most important thing. However, I have to confess that all this is based on trust. I have to trust her, but I will never really know, will I?
Bernard, a telecoms professional in his 50s, has two teenage boys whose Facebook pages sometimes give away their emotional state of mind. BRIDGED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA… The internet is a two-edged sword and can be a leveler. My sons invited me and my wife as “friends” on Facebook. That’s how I found out about the puppy love affair one of them had. I think he knew we had read his posts even though we never actually talked about it directly but just gave him some diplomatic advice when we thought the time was right. …OR DIVIDED However, Facebook has not been such a positive experience for some of my friends. They got cut off by their kids. I think the main thing is not to interrupt, and to time any comments you make astutely. MOBILE ENABLED My boys have entry-level feature phones but many of their friends have iPhones, as do most of my adult family members. Hong Kong people like them because they like to keep busy, wherever they are. But if students have iPhones they can get isolated from the real world. Each of the boys has an Apple laptop at school and they share an iPad for games. iPhone apps can be good for educational purposes, but if you use them for learning English you might end up with an “Apple” English accent!
iPad apps for games and educational purposes
CONCLUSION Most parents realize their children will spend an inordinate amount of time on the internet whatever they do to try and stop them. They may feel uncomfortable about it, especially if they feel ignorant. The positive conclusion to be drawn is that they want to learn more. Youth Hong Kong explored parents’ perspectives on the internet in the June 2009 issue, Volume 1 Number 3. The excellent advice from former Government Chief Information Officer, Jeremy Godfrey, and Professor Wong Po-choi, Chairman of the Committee on Home-School Cooperation, is still highly relevant today. Services for parents who are anxious about overuse of computers are offered by the Federation’s Netwise Support Centre and the Youth Wellness Centre.
Contacts
Youth Wellness Centre Ms Hsu Siu-man tel 2465 2828 email ywc@hkfyg.org.hk NetWise Support Centre for Families Ms Cecilia KK Ng tel 2788 3444 email net@hkfyg.org.hk Note Names and other details have been altered to preserve anonymity.
Guest column
Turning tragedy to triumph
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by Shelley Lee
Weddings are always joyous occasions celebrating love, but when Stanley married Rainbow on 6 March this year, it was a also celebration of his personal triumph over years of suffering from the Pat Sin Leng hill fire in 1996, and of the success made by the team which helped him. The fire left indelible scars, both physical and psychological, that would never completely heal, even in the toughest. But Stanley Cheung is no ordinary tough guy. Aged 11, he was badly burnt along with six others, but on my many visits to the Prince of Wales Hospital, I never heard him complain.
Beautiful and best
Kindness of heart
The hands of Stanley and Rainbow
Real recovery In his first book, Transition, he wrote about being almost driven to suicide after the fire. However, once he overcame that hurdle, he never looked back. Now, at 27, he is a thrice-published author, an inspirational public speaker, a PhD candidate at the Chinese University, and a recent bridegroom. The poignant wedding photos, especially the one of Stanley's badly scarred hands holding Rainbow’s lily-white one, are testament to the meaning of true love. That Rainbow has come to accept and love Stanley is testament to her own special qualities, her insight and maturity. That Stanley has the courage and fortitude to embark on a new stage and embrace married life, is proof of real recovery from the hill fire. And that the people who helped him in different ways, including his parents, surgeon, mentors and friends, were all there to cheer them on and share their joy, is happy evidence that teamwork and generosity of spirit still thrive in Hong Kong.
3 books by Stanley Cheung
I must mention in particular, Dr Walter King, formerly of the Prince of Wales Hospital, who in his quiet and admirable way, helped Stanley and the other victims of the Pat Sin Leng hill fire over the years. With other outstanding medical colleagues, he helped them overcome many odds just to survive in 1996. But what is not commonly known is that even after Dr King left Prince of Wales to join a private medical institution, he continued to help them by performing scores of operations on a pro-bono basis to reduce their scars, improve their appearance, and hence their confidence. To this day, I marvel every time I see them, especially the girls, getting prettier and more cheerful by the year. One might then ask why Stanley's scarring has not reduced as much as the girls’ did. On the night he became one of Hong Kong’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 2010, as I told the guests at the celebration, it was because he had chosen to give the girls more opportunities to benefit from Dr King’s service. That is just typical of Stanley. And that is why, when Rainbow married him, it was a true union of the beauty and the best.
Clockwise from front left: Dr Walter King, Mr and Mrs Cheung, Stanley Cheung, Mr Hui (former principal of Fung Yiu King Memorial Secondary School), Ms Shelley Lee
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Interview Innovation & research
Opportunities, risk-taking and decision-making Dr David Ho, at the forefront of AIDS research, was at the award ceremony for the launch of the Innovation and Technology Scholarship Award Scheme. He talked about the challenges presented by today’s world and his work with the China AIDS Initiative. How can young people make the most of their opportunities? Personally I think they should stay young at heart and curious, ask a lot of questions and challenge orthodoxy. We all want to follow the lessons of Confucius but sometimes being overly obedient is not a good thing if we want to strive for innovation. Striking a proper balance is important. Do you think today’s youth are up to the challenge of innovating? You know, I think young folks need to realize that in a world that changes so rapidly, there are so many challenges which pose great opportunities for the next generation. What might motivate them best? Some people will strive for personal success. There’s nothing wrong with that. But some of these challenges – to answer key questions, to solve problems that are a threat to society – involve risk. How do you decide to take risks? The decision-making is a very deliberate process. Where HIV therapies are concerned, we realized that we made progress in small increments, not necessarily in big breakthroughs. In 2000 we decided we’d spent enough time on therapy and moved into prevention. AIDS prevention is still our major goal today.
What has been your biggest risk? Probably it was committing myself early on to the AIDS epidemic. Many senior advisers said “why focus on this esoteric disease?” At the time it was believed that AIDS only affected gay men, but I believed it was a medical mystery worth solving. The risk paid off. I don’t think I was prescient. I was lucky, lucky enough to believe that I could play some part in solving a mystery of medical science.
…ask a lot of questions and challenge orthodoxy. Is there a way young people can prepare themselves? If you really want a breakthrough you have to take risks, not wild risks, but informed risks. Young people should not be completely fearful of failure. If you haven’t failed in life you haven’t tried enough. It may not be the traditional Chinese way, but sometimes you have to say “go for it” and not be overly fearful. Do you think the education system could offer more encouragement? I think people in the educational field here are trying to do that, especially leading figures. They are asking kids to aim high and not be too risk averse. Young people are at least hearing the message from educators, but maybe not from parents.
Upper: Visit to children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS in Fuyang Lower: Dr CH Leong and Ms Shelley Lee visit to families affected by HIV/AIDS How do Hong Kong students’ attitudes compare with those overseas? They may be a degree more reserved than American students. They are more obedient. I think it’s the Chinese culture, a question of upbringing, but I think that’s changing.
Interview Innovation & research Innovation and Technology Scholarship Award Scheme
Dr David Ho is the scientific director and chief executive officer of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center and the Irene Diamond Professor at the Rockefeller University in New York. He championed combination antiretroviral therapy which has vastly reduced mortality in AIDS patients since 1996, the year when he was Time magazine's Man of the Year. His team, the first to administer effective antiretroviral therapy in China, is now working on vaccines for AIDS and blocking mother-tochild transmission of HIV. Initiatives include public education to raise awareness, fight stigma and counter discrimination. These activities are carried out under the banner of the China AIDS Initiative.
This scheme is jointly organized by HKFYG, Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) and The Hongkong Bank Foundation (HKBF). Li Yan-lin, a third-year medical student from the University of Hong Kong who won one of the scholarships, joins Dr Ho’s Rockefeller University laboratory in New York as a mentee this year: “I am thrilled by the opportunity to conduct laboratory and clinical research under Dr Ho’s tutelage. Biomedical research has always been an integral part of innovation and technology in Hong Kong. For example, HKU was first in the world to develop treatment for chronic hepatitis B and first to perform living donor liver transplants. As a medical student hoping to work in academic medicine, this scholarship comes as a major boost. I would like to thank HKFYG, ITC and HKBF for introducing me to Dr Ho as well as for providing financial support for my trip.”
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China AIDS Initiative (CAI) and Hong Kong Aids Foundation
The Hong Kong Committee for the China AIDS Initiative (CAI) was formed in 2004 to help the mainland accelerate its response to the AIDS problem. CAI supports projects including care for children orphaned as a result of HIV and AIDS, prevention of mother to child transmission, implementation of AIDS education, improvement of medical treatment and development of vaccines. The Hong Kong Aids Foundation believes that education underpins behavioural change and combats the ignorance that leads to misconceptions and discrimination. Community-based publicity and education activities and public awareness talks are two of its AIDS educational programmes. Specially designed outreach and sex education for youthat-risk and drug abusers are part of its work. Hong Kong Committee for CAI Co-chairs: Dr. C. H. Leong, GBM, GBS, JP and Dr. David Ho, MD
Vice-chairs: Ms Shelley Lee, GBS, JP and Mr. Wilfred Ng, SBS, MH, JP
For further information, please contact Ms Helen Law, Hong Kong Aids Foundation and Hong
Kong Committee for CAI, tel 2560 8528 or email helenlaw@hkaf.com.
If you really want a breakthrough, you have to take risks.
Ms Shelley Lee on a CAI visit to Yunnan
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
30
AIDS
Fighting AIDS
by Rachel Yiu
30 years ago, scientists identified the first AIDS victim. HIV/AIDS became a major problem for China in the 1990s when hundreds of thousands of impoverished farmers in rural Henan province became infected through botched blood-selling schemes. Now the virus is spread primarily via sexual contact. With increased connections between mainland China and Hong Kong, AIDS prevention work is needed in the community. This student essay emphasizes the importance of both awareness and the potential for discrimination. Alarming figures According to statistics released by the Chinese Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization, the number of HIV infections on the mainland are increasing by 70,000 per year.1 Fellow teens, when you hear this, how do you feel? Afraid? Indifferent? When I heard about the serious harm caused by AIDS I was extremely fearful. I was also shocked at the appalling figures of deaths resulting from AIDS worldwide. My fear lasted until I heard a talk on AIDS prevention. The talk gave me insight into public health and I’d like to share some tips on fighting AIDS with you. Sensible tactics First and foremost, we students have to behave ourselves. Through self-control and by refusing temptations such as casual sex and needle sharing, we can effectively protect ourselves. Think twice before you act. Remember, nothing is more valuable than life-long health. It’s equally crucial to promote AIDS prevention publicly. We students are lucky to be educated about AIDS. But there’s still a large group who know nothing about it. By launching promotional activities such as talks and fairs, and by distributing leaflets, we can spread relevant information. For the sake of public health, please pass on the message as far and as often as possible. Effective anti-discrimination Last but not least, we should treat AIDS patients with loving, caring hearts. Any kind of discrimination against them is based on ignorance and disrespect. Put yourself in their shoes. As the old saying goes, action speaks louder than words. As a responsible citizen, we should do this not only on annual World AIDS Day2, but every day. That means right now. I believe this is the only effective way to hold AIDS at bay, enjoy better health, better quality of life and a more harmonious world. In short, a better future.
AIDS in China
There are 740,000 people infected with AIDS in China, according to official UNAIDS and government estimates.
Unofficial figures are much larger, with cases rising among homosexuals and heterosexuals. However, a two-thirds drop in AIDS mortality, due to antiretroviral drugs, distributed free since 2002, has been reported and published online by Lancet Infectious Diseases.3 The report states that “an urgent need exists for earlier HIV diagnosis and better access to treatment for injecting drug users and patients infected with HIV sexually. ”A second report4 from the UN’s International Labour Organization, says that people infected with HIV are often turned away by hospitals and refused surgery. China’s national centre for AIDS control, a co-author of the report, agreed hospital discrimination is a problem.
Rachel Yiu, 18, is at SKH Lam Woo
Memorial Secondary School. She loves
to travel and her hobbies are the piano, tennis and public speaking.
Note and sources 1 http://aids.about.com/od/clinicaltrials/a/china.htm 2 World AIDS Day falls on 1 December in 2011. 3 http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(11)70097-4/abstract 4 http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/17/us-china-aids-idUSTRE74G5DR20110517
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Youth watch
Mobile numbers
mobile internet around the world Hong Kong is third in the world after Korea and Japan for penetration of high-speed connectivity.1 87% of Hong Kong 8-24 year-olds already have a mobile phone2 and 24% have a smartphone.3 HKFYG’s surveys of young people’s internet activities throw light onto the devices they use and the risks they take. We compare them here with youth in the US and other parts of the world.
WHO PAYS AND HOW Prepaid services are still common across the developing world such as in China, Indonesia and Brazil. It’s the exact opposite in UK, US, Germany where more people use post-paid services on a contract basis. How many youth pay themselves? 88%
84%
82%
80%
Age 15-19 66%
56%
56%
Age 20-24
65% 54%
52%
47%
45% 35% 27%
25%
Germany
Russia
Brazil
UK
21%
Spain
Italy
India
US
China
US
Source http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/
WHO CHOOSES Most youth around the world choose their own handsets. Only about 15% ask their parents. 80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
UK
Germany
Italy
Spain
Self
Brazil
Employer
Source http://trak.in/tags/business/2011/02/24/indian-youth-mobile-phone-usage-survey/
Russia
Spouse/Partner
India
Parent(s)
Friend(s)
Other
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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Yo u t h w a t c h
WHERE THEY ARE USED 4.6 billion mobile phone users of all ages live in developing countries. By the end of 2009, only 18% of them had internet access but over 50% of them owned a mobile phone. By 2015, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia will have more people who enjoy access to mobile networks than will have electrical connections to their houses. See table on page 10 for more information. Worldwide, approximately 40% of smartphone internet use takes place at home, 25% at work and 35% in transit. In the US, comparing favourite locations for using tablets, e-book readers and smartphones, e-book readers are most popular in bed and the other two are used most often while watching TV! 28% of US owners admitted to using a smartphone in the washroom. Only 23% said they used them in meetings or classrooms. Where do you connect and with that? 80% 70% 60% 50%
70% 70% Watching TV
61%
57%
57% 44%
40%
42% 35%
30%
35%
25% 24% 21%20%
20%
39%
Lying in bed
35%
32% 17%
With friends/family
44% 42%
25% 24% 21%20%
17%
In the bathroom Attending a meeting/class Shopping/running errands
10% 9% 11%
10%
Waiting for something
Commuting Other
0%
Tablet
e-book reader
Smartphone
Sources http://www.intomobile.com/2011/05/25/tablets-and-smartphones-used-more-in-bathrooms-than-boardrooms/ Mobile work. The Economist, 28 October 2010. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/03/world-mobile-data-traffic-to-explode-by-factor-of-26-by-2015.ars
WHAT RISKS Many risks are associated with youth’s use of the internet. Here are Hong Kong data collected by HKFYG and comparative US figures. What risks have you been exposed to online?
0.5% 0.7% 3.1%
1.3% 6.3% 47.6%
9.7%
Frequently
18%
18.7% 70.9% 27.3%
95.7%
Occasionally Rarely Never
Chatted with strangers
Disclosed personal data
Was asked for risky/ indecent photos/videos
Source What Problems do Young People Encounter in the Cyber World? (Youth Poll Series No.186, June 2009, age 10-24)
How do American teenagers’ habits compare? Personal information online 52% give out personal information online to someone they don't know offline 64% post photos or videos of themselves 58% post info about where they live 8% post mobile phone numbers Source http://www.enough.org/inside.php?id=2uxkjwry8#6
Contact with strangers 14% of teens accept invitations to meet online strangers 14% of students had invited an online stranger to meet them in person Aggressive sexual solicitations 4% of youth internet users had received aggressive sexual solicitations 7% of early teens were also asked for nude pictures of themselves online
Youth watch
33
WHAT DEVICES Choosing between a smartphone, an iPod Touch, a tablet PC, a netbook, and an e-book reader is easy once you know what you want to do on each device. Some functions overlap. E-book readers are the least flexible. Size, keyboard, readability and ease of use with one hand are other factors. HKFYG ran a survey on devices used to connect to the internet and the results are below, with estimates of growth in use of tablet PCs. What do you use to connect to the internet? 41.7%
Tablet growth 208.0 million
39.7% 154.2 million 103.4 million 13.1%
Notebook
Mobile phone
iPhone
4.6%
1.9%
19.5 million
iPod
iPad
2010
Source The Digital Mobile Life of the Hong Kong Youth (Youth Poll Series No.200, August 2010, age 12-34)
54.8 million
2011
2012
Estimated figures China: 1 million+ Hong Kong: 50-100K Singapore: 50-100K South Korea: 100-130K Malaysia and Thailand: 30-70K
2013
2014
Reasons for purchase 56% Entertainment 42% Cool factor 40% Convenience 28% Brand (Apple)
Source Youdu media 2010 courtesy of Nick Barger
Mobile-phone enabled youth: proportion with smartphones
Italy 47% US 33%
Russia 25%
India 10%
Source Nielson News Hong Kong, December 2010 and March 2011
China 29%
WHAT NEXT Smartphone use grew by 32% in 2010 and the number of mobileconnected laptops grew by 63%. A large percentage of mobileconnected laptop users consider mobile broadband their primary means of accessing the internet. by end 2011 mobile video traffic will account for over 50% of traffic on the internet worldwide by 2015 two-thirds of the world's mobile data traffic will be video by 2015 mobile network connection speeds will increase ten times in 2015 Mobile-connected tablets will produce the same amount of traffic as the entire global mobile network did in 2010 Source http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/03/world-mobile-data-traffic-toexplode-by-factor-of-26-by-2015.ars
Sources 1 Michael, David. The Connected Harbour. Boston Consulting Group, May 2011. 2 Synovate Young Asians Survey, August 2010. http://www.synovate.com/news/article/extra/20100802/YoungAsians2010_HKFactSheet_EN_Final.pdf 3 Nielsen Breaking News, January 2011.
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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In the loop
a passion for a profession by Shen Weihuang 26-year-old professional computer game player, Li Xiaofeng, better known as “Sky”, is the only Chinese champion in World of Warcraft, so far. He won the title at the annual international electronic sports (eSports) World Cyber Games (WCG) in 2005. In his shadow, there is a huge potential market. Its target is mainly youth, but there are many barriers.
Symbol and dream Li Xiaofeng, who goes by the online name “Sky”, has become an icon for many young people. He is a symbol, a goal, a dream. But success has not come overnight. Sky has been a professional player for more than six years, and started out more than ten years ago. In November 2003, the All China Sports Federation and the Chinese Olympic Committee recognized eSports as the 99th event to be supervised by the State General Administration of Sports. eSport is regarded as an intellectual form of sport demanding intensive teamwork, strong willpower and thinking ability, according to the Administration. However, for the last seven years, the development of eSport in China has remained slow and it still faces criticism from a broad spectrum of society, especially parents.
Parental objections In a recent interview, Li told me that his parents didn’t like him playing computer games. They are like many Chinese parents. They even beat him frequently for it. He told me that it was normal and that many children who like to play computer games have the same experience. He was just lucky to hold out till today. Many others have given up. The reason parents hate games is obvious. They detract from academic studies. Parents never think gaming could become a profession. It’s true that many professional gamers in China quit school, but there are also many who both study well and play well. Parental concern is understandable, but a key issue is not being addressed by either parents or children. Each of them has a different concept of computer games, different expectations and different hopes. Their logic and train of thought diverge from the start.
The parents’ concept is simple: computer games = wasting time = academic failure = no job = no money = no house, no car, no wife = bad life.
Children’s views The children’s concept is also simple, according to interviews I’ve had with many professional gamers: computer games = time consuming = academic failure or success but definitely improved gaming skills = possible profession = happy life = honour and money = everything. Parents often don’t know exactly what their children are doing, and the children often don’t want to explain. If parents focused more on what their children are actually doing before telling them what they ought to be doing, I think the children would be more inclined to explain. It seems to me that parents should make the first move.
eSport is regarded as an intellectual form of sport… it demands intensive teamwork and strong willpower.
Prospects unclear Although the future of professional eSports in China is still uncertain, Li Xiaofeng’s career carries a positive message and it inspires faith. As China’s top player, he earns a monthly salary of over 20,000 yuan (approximately US$2,976), plus money from his sponsors. That makes Li richer than most urban white-collar workers.
In the loop Li Xiaofeng plays in a domestic eSports contest
However, the prospects for thousands of other professional players in China are not promising. Many earn about 1,000 yuan (approx US$148) a month and are without funds for medical care, housing or a pension. If they get a few bad results their salary plummets and their membership of exclusive gaming clubs is threatened. There are dozens of such professional clubs for game players in China, with accommodation for players, even if their income is low. With recognition from the Chinese Olympic Committee, eSports will get onto the world stage in the end. We’ll know that discrimination has finally faded when, a university graduate aspires to become a professional gamer and people say how proud they are.
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eSports not online games
eSports are totally different from online games. In the latter one spends a huge amount of time killing monsters, upgrading weapons, then killing the monsters again, while eating popcorn, drinking cola and updating one’s weibo. But in eSports it normally takes no more than an hour to have a winner. It also requires extreme concentration, of a standard fit for real-life sport. However, whereas you would never see a real-life soccer player calling his wife and talking about what to have for dinner in the middle of a match, it could happen in eSports.
Shen Weihuang, now twice a
contributor to Youth Hong Kong, is
With recognition from the Chinese Olympic Committee, eSports will get onto the world stage in the end. It will be a long time though. After all, many parents in China can’t accept the idea of their children wanting to be a professional soccer player, let alone a professional eSports player.
working in Beijing as a reporter for
Global Times. In this article, he writes in a freelance capacity.
More on eSports http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Sports_World_Cup http://www.wcg.com/6th/main.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_sports http://www.pcworld.com/article/214432/2011_the_year_of_esports.html
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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A r t s & c u l t u re
Band’s sound swings Five young musicians won this year’s HKFYG Youth Band Sounds Competition, impressing the judges with their all-round ability, style and stage presence. Their name Pendular, comes from pendulum and conjures images of swinging, just as they hope audiences do to their music.
Pendular: the band that swings Vocals Guitar Bass Guitar Drums
Jason Kobe, Gavin Fat Ghost Eason
Pop rock is our main genre, but we blend in elements of funk, blues, post-rock and punk. The essence of our music is the helplessness and pain of everyday life. We wrote Inspiration when we didn’t have any. We wrote Coming Home when we were stressed out by work but knew we couldn’t live without it.
Arts & culture
37
How it all started
Who inspires
Jason Believe it or not, I was just 3 years old when I started listening to Sam Hui on my mum’s walkman. Since then, there was no turning back, even though I never had any formal voice training. Early on, I was a fan of the Four Heavenly Kings and I remember learning Eason Chan’s songs off by heart. I just love singing.
Jason Beyond inspired me most. I think they are the greatest, most influential band Hong Kong has ever known.
Kobe For me, it all started about five years ago. A good friend of mine wanted to learn the guitar. I helped him find out how and in the process I got interested myself.
Kobe Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis, Coldplay – I knew them all when I began to play. Radiohead still influences my arrangements but so do Toe and Epic45.
Fat Ghost I was 8 when first I started learning the guitar at school with some classmates. Later on, we got together as a band. Nobody knew how to play the bass so I took it on and now I go to classes.
Fat Ghost I loved Green Day when I was at secondary school. Their songs were just nice and plain.
Eason The sound of the drums always fascinated me. I used to mime as I listened, pretending to be a drummer with my hands and feet. Nobody taught me till I met Simon Tsui when I was about 18. Six months later, I got my Grade 8 in drumming from Trinity Guildhall. Gavin I got into the guitar purely by chance. My sister borrowed one from her friend. My brother taught me a chord and I was so excited. From then on I was hooked.
sam-hui.net
Apart from Gavin, they all got to know each other at Hong Kong Baptist University. Kobe and Eason were committee members of the Sound Union and recruitment was going on for Open Day. Jason and Fat Ghost joined them to form Pendular and a few months later, they met Gavin on the internet, making the current line-up of five.
Gavin Beyond would be my choice too. They are an icon of band development in Hong Kong.
Eason Tommy Igoe was my first influence. His drum solo videos on the web are really amazing and his tutorial videos are useful too. The other is Simon Tsui, my first drum teacher. I’d call him a “drum addict”. He knows about techniques, concepts, brands, everything about drumming.
Inspiration Band
Origin
Year formed Genres 1983
Cantopop
Coldplay
London, UK
1996
Alternative rock
Epic45
Birmingham, UK 1995
Beyond
Hong Kong
Post-rock
Green Day California, US 1987
Punk rock, pop rock, alternative rock
Oasis Manchester, UK 1991
Rock, Britpop, alternative rock
Radiohead Oxfordshire, UK 1985
Alternative rock, electronic music, experimental rock
Red Hot Chili Peppers Los Angeles, US 1983
Funk rock, alternative rock
Toe Japan 2000
Instrumental, post-rock, math rock
Tommy Igoe is from New Jersey, US and currently with the Birdland Big Band. Simon Tsui studied drumming at the LA Musicians Institute and New York Drummer Collective in 1990s and has played with famous Cantopop singers such as Eason Chan and Karen Mok.
Benjwong ( Wikimedia )
Sam Hui
Sam Hui was one of the most important singers who started the Cantopop trend in Hong Kong since 1970s.
The Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop from the 1990s include Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai. The Four Heavenly Kings
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
38
A r t s & c u l t u re
Winning Song Live in the Moment, the song we won with at the competition, all came out of our worries. It’s about city dwellers, with all their burdens, day in day out, past and future. The song tells them to go out and enjoy life, to get rid of their worries. It was new and we wanted to test audience’s response. Jason I was totally stunned when we won. I didn’t even think I sang well that night. When they announced our name as champion, I had just been thinking, “Let’s go home.” Kobe I thought we might get a prize but to be champion was totally unexpected. Eason I had made a mental list of winners but we weren’t on it. It was the best moment yet for Pendular. Pendular have played at the Fringe Club, Backstage, Youth Square, on Lamma Island, at several City Hall concerts and hotels. Encouraged by HKFYG’s support, with a band room for practice and mentorship by a veteran musician, they hope to bring out their first album and go on tour overseas sometime in the near future.
Live in the Moment 分秒暫停吧 工作亦遺下 沒有念掛 再度碰見滿天彩霞 簡單的過活 重新細味生活 一息間發現了 許多景緻在變 鬧市裡情調亦泯滅 活在當下 得失散聚如夢虛幻 輕鬆走過重重變化 哪怕地搖雷鳴暴雨灑 活在當下 請戀上燦爛的芳華 悲傷感覺無用記掛 細意地愛著每刻 別怕
Time please stop awhile Put your work aside Let your worries go Cares don’t bring me low Look, the rosy clouds are back again Live the simple life Taste each little bit Find the vistas wide Changing all the time Watch your moods fly past in city lights Live every moment Gain and loss are dreams Take each change in stride Walk with head held high Storms and earth quakes pass if you stay calm Live every moment Of your splendid youth Sadness forgotten Sorrows forgiven Love each tender moment, lived in truth Some Verses only, English by editorial team
Arts & culture What matters most “Our jobs don’t allow us enough time to make big improvements but it’s still our dream anyway.” “People are so different but in a band everyone has to match and benefit the group so that it can come up with new ideas.” “Everybody has to know their own role and not just want to show off. Skills are important but cooperation is more important.”
Newest in music from HKFYG
39
Youth band sounds is HKFYG’s latest musical initiative with the first Youth Band Sounds Competition 2011 on 10 April on the Grand Stage at Western Market in Sheung Wan. Prizes were sound equipment gift tokens from Sennheiser worth HK$5,000, HK$2,000 in cash and the chance of professional mentorship. The judges were Joey Tang, Clayton Cheung, Davy Chan and Sammy So. Joey Tang, Gold Typhoon Entertainment (HK) Ltd, founded the Tai Chi Band in 1984. Clayton Cheung is an experienced composer who was with the Black Box band in the 1990s and founded Big Bang Music Ltd. Davy Chan joined underground heavy metal band Anodize as the youngest drummer on the scene in 1987 and is now a producer who helps young musicians start out. Sammy So is a vocalist cum guitarist for KOLOR, a Hong Kong-based contemporary pop rock band.
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
40
City space
Convenience, water and the environment Dixon Kwong and Eva Fung, members of the Greenagers, took part in the HKFYG Hong Kong 200 Leadership Project and won the Get it Green competition. Their message about climate change is "first change your mindset, then your actions will follow." Their slogan: “Be green, be the change.” Here they write about the importance of water economy and maximizing convenience.
“Frienemy” of the environment
by Dixon Kwong Convenience is the “frienemy” of the environment. On the one hand, it harms the environment because people are so used to a convenient urban lifestyle that they choose to be environmentally unfriendly. On the other hand, convenience can also be a friend of the environment. When bottled water began to appear on supermarket shelves, people began to realize how convenient it was. It was the end of an era. We no longer had to take our own water bottles everywhere. So convenient. But inconvenient to dispose of the empty bottles. Hundreds of thousands of bottles are dumped every day in Hong Kong, but it’s hard to give up convenience and fortunately, at times, it is friends with the environment. The key is the boom in technology, catalyzed by globalization and the subsequent increased transfer of efficient technologies. Transport, for example, both public and private, has become more energy-efficient as a result of technological advances. Cars today consume less fuel than just a decade ago.
Technology can help
As it became necessary to recycle more and more plastic bottles the new generation of incinerators did so while producing less dioxin. So, technology not only creates convenience, it can also help to alleviate the problems created by convenience. The question is how to sacrifice as little convenience as possible while still protecting the environment. As people become increasingly environmentally conscious, the question needs to be modified even further. People demand that the environment is protected. Then the key lies in the level of convenience they want.
Easy and convenient to go green
We should make it easy and convenient for people to go green. At street level, when people want to recycle their plastic bottles, why can’t we have more recycling bins in convenient locations? At the coffee shop, instead of demanding fewer disposable containers, why can’t people be given an incentive to bring their own cups? At restaurants, instead of demanding less wasted food, why can’t we be given a choice of how big a meal is served? Younger generations around the world especially should understand that no matter how convenient our lives today are, our habits are barely sustainable. Therefore, I hope that we can think about green innovation, about how to make life just convenient enough, enough for people to change their habits, to break the habits that are unsustainable-business-as-usual, and instead move on to leading sustainable lives on this planet.
Break the habits that are unsustainablebusiness-as-usual. Dixon Kwong is 21 and is currently
doing a BBA in International Business and Global Management and the
University of Hong Kong. His interests
range from piano, jazz, and Cantopop to
table tennis and Wong Kar-wai’s movies.
City space
41
The Plastiki, an 18-metre catamaran made out of 12,500 reclaimed water bottles and other waste material has solar, wind, water and bicycle-power generators. Its name comes from the famous raft Kontiki, which sailed across the Pacific in 1947. Plastiki followed roughly the same route.
Every drop counts
by Eva Fung Having time for a “mini concert” during a shower is always refreshing after a long day’s work, but it will never happen in my new home... Instead of a Towngas water heater, there is an electric storage water heater. It only supplies hot water continuously for 10 minutes at any time. So if I don’t want a shower that suddenly goes cold, it’s wise to cut my showering time. By experiencing a limited supply of hot water at home I learned about water shortages and it reminded me that “every drop counts”.
Wasted bottles
When I was small, it was difficult to imagine a water crisis, especially when I could see two-thirds of the world map was blue. Unfortunately, over 97.5% of that blue is sea water and most freshwater is frozen in the form of icebergs or ice sheets.
What next?
Wasted water Do we still have an unlimited source of freshwater in Antarctica and Greenland? No. Hong Kong people are all lucky to enjoy an “unlimited” supply of freshwater at home whenever they want it (as long as they are willing to pay for it) but the actual, global supply is diminishing due to excessive human consumption and global warming. Global warming means the ice shelves are melting at an unexpectedly high rate. This reduces the amount of freshwater on the planet. The melting ice also dilutes the sea water which seriously affects ocean habitats. An ice shelf in Antarctic Sound – Larsen B – was stable up for 12,000 years, but then, in 2002, it collapsed. An irreversible chain reaction took place, causing more ice, and more freshwater, to fall into the sea. How we act does not just affect our immediate surroundings. It affects the entire world. Consuming more water may not cost you much, but your children may suffer because of your extravagance.
Attitude is a small thing but it can make a big difference. Think twice before you act.
Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Eva Fung Ka-yee is 21 and has been at City University of Hong Kong doing a BBA in
Human Resources Management since 2009. Her main interests
and hobbies are travelling and photography.
Green and effective? Hong Kong has implemented several green incentives, including a 50-cent levy on plastic shopping bags in 2009. But have they been effective? The number of bags handed out by supermarkets has reportedly fallen by some 80% but Environmental Protection Department figures show only a marginal drop in bags dumped in landfills. Meanwhile disposal of reusable bags, which take longer to decompose, has increased. What measures would you suggest? Write and tell us.
Youth Hong Kong
Ice floes melting in Neko Harbour, Antarctica late summer
June 2011
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Photo essay
Bergs in Antarctic Sound
Photos courtesy of Dixon Kwong and Eva Fung of the Greenagers, taken on a trip to the Antarctic in March 2011
Photo essay
Crabeater Seal
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“Fresh ice”
Larsen B Ice Shelf, Antarctic Sound
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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City space Volunteering
If you think you can, you can Five young volunteers who won awards1 for volunteering can inspire others. Pun Fai-wong (Faifai) and Li Kwan-hung (Bosco) were both once troublemakers and their backgrounds contrast sharply with those of Julia Chan, Fiona Wan and Tony Wong. Nonetheless, they all talk and write about transformative experience and the sense of empowerment and fulfillment volunteering has given them. As Fai-fai says, "If you think you can, you can."
Bosco and Fai-fai Pun Fai-wong, known as Fai-fai, is at Buddhist Wong Wan Tin College. He comes from a broken family and fell in with triads when he was younger. Both he and Li Kwan-hung (Bosco), who was at the same school two years earlier, had a reputation for using bad language and fighting. Nevertheless,the school’s social worker, Stony, gained their respect. She then encouraged them to channel their energies into helping others. Stony When I first talked to Bosco he swore back at me but I didn’t pay any attention. It was the same with Fai-fai. I saw the potential beneath that tough exterior. I put pressure on them to go
Stony ( second from right ) with Bosco, Fai-fai and 2 young people
and visit some people in the old folk’s home. Eventually they agreed. Then bit by bit I watched them change. Fai-fai As a volunteer, I learned more than I ever expected, like how to lead a team, how to make someone happy. I took home what I learned as well, and my mother saw how I’d changed. The most life-changing event for me was when I volunteered at a primary school in Beijing. “Do you really have a shower every day? It’s such a luxury,” the children said to me one day. I felt so upset. Even more so when I found that they couldn’t afford
Just try smiling - you'll get a smile
City space Volunteering
to eat meat everyday either. But they never complained. Their attitude made me want to do more and try harder. When I left the school the children really moved me by telling me how much they would miss me. Saying goodbye to them reminded me what I had to give. Even though I couldn’t provide money or material goods, I could still show I cared with a hug, and try to be a good role model. Bosco The elderly people I met at the home showed me how I could gain self-respect and self-esteem by helping others. I remember one telling me, “Just try smiling. You’ll get a smile in return.” I found I was learning things without even realizing it. Sometimes what you do seems very trivial but there is a lesson in that too and I use that lesson in my job now. I look at volunteering as an opportunity. A chance to learn that anything can be achieved, even things beyond your imagination. I also learned about self-confidence by meeting many different kinds
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of people. Now I see how useful that was. I think most young people in Hong Kong have too much. It seems that the more choice they have, the less they care and the less they want to help.
Giving time
Julia Chan
I started volunteering in my last year at primary school because I was curious about people. I wanted to learn from them, especially people a lot older than me, and some of those I met were eight times my age. My own grandmother lives happily alone, but I went with the Christian Fellowship to a home for the elderly. In the beginning I felt a bit sorry for them, especially when I found out they would have to stay there for the rest of their lives, but I enjoyed listening to stories about their youth. It surprised me how tightly they held my hand and I began to realize I could make them smile.
Later, as a volunteer in a leprosy village in Guangxi on the mainland and as an English teacher in Indonesia, I realized how lucky teenagers are in Hong Kong. I also realized that giving time can mean more to many people than giving material goods. Volunteer work is now part of my life and I’m grateful for the experience to travel and interact as more than a mere tourist. One day I hope to join Médecins Sans Frontières. Julia Chan Yan-yu is a 20-year-old medical student at the University of Hong Kong and includes being a Marine Park Ambassador and the HKFYG’s Hong Kong Young Ambassador Programme in her current community work.
in return
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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City space Volunteering
Being a fundraiser
Tony Wong
As a member of The Rotaract Club, my task was to fundraise for the malnourished in developing countries. It was quite a challenge for me and 15 other first-year students. We had to make all the arrangements and take care of the logistics too. I learnt about planning and preparation, handling crises and providing support to others. There were setbacks too, delays and mistakes. Sometimes we argued, but in the end we sorted it all out.
Saving lives
Our slogan was Save a Meal, Save a Life because HK$25, enough to buy a meal here, is enough for a nutrition pack to save a baby in a third world country. Nearly half the people we asked gave a donation so we thought we did quite well. After a week of fundraising on campus, we had collected more than HK$23,000, compared to HK$15,000- HK$20,000 at similar recent events.
The best lesson I learned was how easy it was to help others. With $23,000 we helped save more than a hundred lives; just 16 of us! Sometimes, what seems a little is worth a lot, especially to people who are really in need.
Helping handicapped Sichuanese children Fiona Wan Sometimes, you may only be a step away from achieving your goal. All you need is someone to light the spark. Remember what Lt Col Doolittle once said, “There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.” Last Christmas, I went to Sichuan for five days, visiting schools in Beichuan County, one of the hardest hit areas during the 2008 earthquake. Apart from meeting other student volunteers and learning about the development of voluntary work from Social Workers Across Borders and the YMCA, we took part in many play sessions and activities with physically disabled children.
In spite of their handicaps, those children were contented. When we asked them to write down their wishes, I was touched. They all had dreams and plans, just like us. We taught them how to make sunny dolls, as a symbol of the blessings we wanted to give. Children believe that if you hang a sunny doll in the widow the sun will come out. They also taught me how to love. A little boy gave me a card on which he’d written two simple, beautiful words: forever love. For me that message became a symbol of unbreakable bonds and unbounded love.
Giving time can mean more to many people than giving material goods. Tony Wong Tsz-ho, 19, is a Global Business student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology where he is also Vice President of the Rotaract Club, an international charity with branches at several tertiary institutions in Hong Kong.
Volunteering [ is ] a chance to learn that anything can be achieved." Fiona Wan Fong-ying, 18, is an S6 pupil at the NT Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School. She is the External Secretary of the Hong Kong Outstanding Youth Volunteers’ Association and a keen photographer.
Tony (right) Note 1 Awards were given to them this year at a ceremony organized by the Social Welfare Department.
Fiona (left)
HKFYG news 2011 China Week
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2011 China Week: “A Century of China since the 1911 Revolution” The programme was launched on 21 May with Guests of Honour, Mr Kenneth Chen, JP (Under Secretary for Education), Mr Li Jiyi (Viceminister, Department of Youth Work, Liaison Office of CPG in HKSAR), and Mr Yu Kwok-chun, SBS JP ( 香港各界紀念辛亥革命 100 周年活 動籌備委員會執行主席 ). The core 2011 China Week is from 29 June to 6 July. The overall programme consists of four parts and continues till November.
I. A Century of China Multimedia Production
IV. A Century of China 10 Films
4 July 10:30am, 4pm; 5 July 10am, 2pm in Star Hall, KITEC
Coming soon in July until November in the HKFYG Auditorium and Theatre
Young performers and school choirs are performing for audiences of primary and secondary students. The show depicts the 1911 Revolution, the Japanese invasion, civil wars, the Cultural Revolution, the Open Door Policy, the events of 1989 in Tiananmen Square, space exploration by China, the Beijing Olympics and the Shanghai Expo.
II. A Century of China Historical Figures Study Competition Primary and secondary school pupils took part in the competition, learning about figures from 160 years of Chinese history in the process. Awards ceremony 5 July, 2pm in Star Hall, KITEC Photo exhibition in the HKFYG Building Multi-function Hall
Date Jul 6 Jul 23 Aug 20 Sep 17 Sep 24 Oct 15 Oct 29 Nov 12
Film title Guest speaker My 1919 Prof Cheng Pei-kai, Director, Chinese Civilization Centre, CityU 我的 1919 Zhou Enlai Mr Fong Yiu-fai, Vice-chairman, Chinese History Education Society 周恩來 The Lugou Qiao Incident Mr Lau Seung-wai, Vice-chairman, Chinese History Education Society 七七事變 Chongqing Negotiations Dr James Wong Kong-tin, President, HK Starfire Network Association 重慶談判 Road to Dawn Prof Ho Pui-yin, Director, Lee Woo Sing HK History Resource Centre, CUHK 夜明 Bodyguards and Assassins Prof Ricardo Mak King-sang, Head, Dept of History, HK Baptist University 十月圍城 Deng Xiaoping Dr Timothy Wong Man-kong, Dept of History, HK Baptist University 鄧小平 Aftershock Dr Au Chi-kin, Dept of History, HK Shue Yan University 唐山大地震
For all events, go to chinaweek.u21.hk for more information.
2011 China Week supported by
III. Rising Sun ( 旭日 ): Musical on Sun Yat-sen’s time in Hong Kong 29-30 June in the HKFYG Building Auditorium Performed by The Spring-Time Experimental Theatre Charity show on 29 June at 8pm Talks from co-directors of the musical on 30 June: 2:30pm Mr Ko Chi-sum, The Spring-Time Group 5:30pm Prof David Lung Ping-yee, SBS JP, Faculty of Architecture, HKU
Major sponsors Sponsors Co-organizers Supporting organizations
Hopewell Holdings Ltd Hopewell Highway Infrastructure Ltd Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education Oregon Scientific Hong Kong Ltd Radio Television Hong Kong China Soong Ching Ling Foundation The Spring-Time Experimental Theatre The Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture Southern Film Co Ltd Home Affairs Bureau Education Bureau Leisure and Cultural Services Department Media Asia Film Distribution Co Ltd Gala Film Distribution Ltd We Pictures
Youth Hong Kong June 2011
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HKFYG news Summer Youth Programme 2011
Something for everyone Over 4,000 activities go to make up this year’s summer programme. There’s something for everybody, from singing a cappella to playing with creative, educative software, from martial arts to media production. Here’s a sampling of main activities. • register online at youth portal uportal.hk
• call 3755 7072 for further information
Wudang study trip on martial arts
LEAD @ Cyberport: Creative Orienteering and Design Week 26-31 July
A group of 30 young people aged 18-35 went to Wudang from 8-24 June to learn and about Taoist martial arts.
• Creative Orienteering Families with children aged 9-15 use mobile phones to decipher QR codes and discover the secrets of Cyberport ( co-organizer )
Highlights • training in willpower and endurance • honing self-management, problemsolving and communication skills
• Young Designer Creativity Camp Children aged 9-12 learn basic design and create public display boards for Cyberport visitors to use in photo shots • Family DIY Families design their own chairs with recycled paper cardboards and cloth tubes (MUJI) and take their personal creations home Other LEAD highlights for children aged 9-12
• Chinese shadow boxing, Qigong ( 氣功 ), Taoist culture
Young Scientist Summer Camp 11-13 August 2011
• climbing Wudang Mountain, Hubei Province
• HKFYG Organic Farm experience: farming and computer programming to make mechanical farm devices Young Engineers Creativity Camp 14-16 July 2011 • Engineering lab experience visit to factory assembly lines, learning about physics, science and the design of lever and electric circuit devices
HKFYG news Summer Youth Programme 2011 Learn about journalism Courses, workshops and visits tell young people about mass media and internet media. 200 young people take part and put what they’ve learned to the test in 3-minute feature videos. Highlights • talks from media researchers, veteran TV news anchors, cameramen • 3-minute feature videos for broadcast on ATV, outdoor screens and 200 clinics • broadcasts also on the u21.hk website When 2 July, 13 July, 27 July, 6 August, late August (10 sessions, 20 hours) Where HKFYG Building, and TV broadcasting studio
Dragon Series No.6: Dragon100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum 2011 Caring about the Poor: Today and Tomorrow 27 July to 1 August 500 young Chinese people, including 160 from Hong Kong and the balance from the mainland, Taiwan, Macau and overseas, go to Taiwan to do community service. Highlights • helping the poor at a farm in Pingtung County recovering from the August 2009 typhoon • exploring Taiwan society and culture in Taipei and Kaohsiung • joining a 9-hour programme organized by by Famine 30, World Vision Taiwan
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Summer courses on a cappella 30 participants will learn a cappella skills, gain performing experience, and help to organize school teams. Highlight Kaichiro Kitamura, master Japanese vocal percussionist, as coach When • integrated course: 18 July to 25 August 2011 (Mondays, Thursdays) • vocal percussion course: 29-31 July 2011 Where Hong Kong Cultural Centre, HKFYG Building
2011 China Week “A Century of China since the 1911 Revolution” Activities aim to encourage learning about the history and culture of China. See p.47 or visit chinaweek.u21.hk for highlights.
June 2011 Youth Hong Kong
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