11 July 2012
Issue 56
11 July 2012
Issue 56
On 11 July 2012, the EOC Chairperson, Mr. LAM Woon-kwong, made a statement to the media concerning the controversy on his dual role as Convener of the Executive Council and Chairperson of the EOC. Following close consideration of various views and consultation with EOC Members and partner organisations, Mr. Lam has informed the media of his decision to carry on with both positions until the conclusion of his current term as EOC Chairperson at the end of January 2013, after which he will not consider any offer to renew his contract. “For the next 6 months, I will continue to carry out my duties as Chairperson of EOC dutifully and diligently, and be vigilant to avoid any real or perceived conflicts in serving my dual role,” said Mr. Lam.
Read the full statement
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On 6 July 2012, the EOC Chairperson, Mr. LAM Woon-kwong, shared Hong Kong’s experience in promoting equality with Mainland China’s gender equity experts, at the invitation of the Ford Foundation and Wellesley College. “The importance of having anti-discrimination legislation in Hong Kong and having a statutory body to implement these laws are evident,” Mr. Lam said at the roundtable in Beijing. “Many now share the belief that no one should be deprived of equal opportunities to realize his or her potential and aspirations.” The day before, Mr. Lam spoke at a school graduation ceremony about the importance of trying one’s best to build a kind and inclusive society. In the speech, Mr. Lam recounted the Buddhist fable of the parrot who tried to fight a mountain fire by dipping itself in water and shaking the excess drops onto the flame, despite being told by others about the futility of its actions. He urged the students to follow the parrot’s example and persist in doing the right thing, even if the situation seems hopeless. “We need to do our best to pursue what we believe is right,” said Mr. Lam.
Read the speech to the Ford Foundation and Wellesley College’s Roundtable (in English)
Read the speech to Po Kok School (in Chinese)
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On 9 July 2012, the South China Morning Post began publishing a regular column, “On Second Thought,” by the EOC Chairperson, Mr. LAM Woon-kwong. In the column, to appear every three weeks, Mr. Lam shares his thoughts on discrimination and other issues related to equal opportunity. The first article, “Society Must Stay Vigilant to Ultimate Abuse of Power,” discusses the relationship between respect, power imbalance, and sexual harassment, and urges society to empower those who are vulnerable to abuse. “It has been said, rightly, that a society reveals its true character in the way it treats its most vulnerable members…We can, and must, do better to give voice to the silenced among us and create an environment where they can freely speak up and demand justice,” wrote Mr. Lam.
Read the article
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On 24 June 2012, in collaboration with Caritas Community Centre - Kowloon, the EOC ran a workshop on the Race Discrimination Ordinance targeted at ethnic minority children to instill the values of diversity and inclusion and widen awareness on the equal opportunities legislation. The workshop, attended by around 20 young participants, featured interactive features such as video watching, role play, and group discussions to broaden the children’s understanding of the detrimental effects of discrimination and how to seek help. This initiative is part of a pilot series recently launched by the EOC to introduce positive values to children from an early age. Please contact us at 2106 2106 if your organization would like to participate.
A World of Colours: the EOC’s resource page on ethnic minority issues
The EOC’s online training module on equal opportunities for pre-primary children
Stay updated on the EOC's work and positions by referring to our press releases, speeches, media interviews, and calendar training on our website. Also, stay tuned on other equal opportunities issues and community initiatives by visiting our community resources and community events pages for information from our community partners, including publications, survey reports, publicity campaigns, and upcoming conferences.