Mabel (Mabel Lo, Executive Director, TREATS),

Members of TREATS,

Mr Daniel Green and Ms Emily Green (The Green Family Foundation),

Scholarship awardees, parents, teachers,

Distinguished guests and friends,

Thank you for inviting me to this year’s TREATS Inclusive Scholarship Award presentation ceremony. I’m truly honoured to be here and to share this momentous day with all the awardees, their families, and teachers. Let me start by congratulating all 18 awardees for your outstanding achievements. Being here is no mean feat, and every single one of you should be very proud of your talents and what you have accomplished. So, let’s give the awardees a round of applause!

Young people are the cornerstone of our society. With innovative ideas, endless passion, and fresh perspectives, they are at the frontlines of social change. Looking at the background and achievements of the 13 Inclusive Scholarship awardees and the five Rising Star awardees, I can only feel optimistic about the future of our city. Not only are their talents diverse, but also their character and strength, tenacity and determination in overcoming challenges to turn their goals into reality are outstanding. Although they each have their own stories, they all share a passion for bringing positivity to their community and our society. I have no doubt that the support and recognition they receive from the scholarship scheme will only further empower them to achieve their full potential. In giving out this scholarship, TREATS has also done an incredible job at shining a spotlight on the awardees’ stories and talents, providing them with the resources needed to go further, and giving them a platform to show the world who they are.

Like TREATS, we at the Equal Opportunities Commission see empowering young people of all abilities and backgrounds to thrive as indispensable to creating a dynamic and vibrant society for today and tomorrow. In particular, we have paid close attention to the education and employment of young people with special needs and students from diverse ethnic backgrounds, making sure that they receive the tailored support they need in school and are given equal opportunities to work and make contributions. Throughout the years, we have made strenuous efforts to implement and promote the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and the Race Discrimination Ordinance, making sure that everyone knows their rights and responsibilities under the ordinances.

We are pleased to see that there have been positive developments in the support for students with diverse abilities and from different ethnic backgrounds in recent years. It’s also encouraging to see that an increasing number of organisations and businesses are starting to recognise the unique contributions these individuals can provide. But there is still a lot more we need to do to give them the support and opportunities they deserve in school and at work.

The research we conducted over the years tells us that part of the biases and stereotypes that young people with diverse abilities and ethnic backgrounds face in Hong Kong stem from a lack of understanding. We believe that education is a powerful tool to counter these negative attitudes. Just last week, we conducted a recognition ceremony for our Equal Opportunity Youth Ambassador Scheme. Running for the second time this year, the Scheme has allowed us to promote the values of diversity and equality to tertiary students through in-depth, experiential activities. As part of the programme, we partnered with TREATS to give the Youth Ambassadors the opportunity to collaborate and interact with students with special educational needs. These experiences will no doubt equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to bring the message of equal opportunities for all to their peers.

As part of our drive to recruit more allies to realise our vision of a racially inclusive society, we have launched the Racial Diversity and Inclusion Charter for Employers and the Racially Friendly Campus Recognition Scheme. The charter unites employers who are committed to implementing racially inclusive practices in the workplace, while the recognition scheme encourages schools to create inclusive learning environments. I am confident that these programmes, together with initiatives like TREATS’ Inclusive Scholarship Award, will reshape the way our society sees young people with diverse abilities and ethnic backgrounds, and foster an inclusive culture on campus and at work.

Before I conclude, I want to take a moment to give special thanks to the parents, caregivers, and teachers of the awardees, many of whom are here with us today. You play a crucial role in the development of your children and students. Their achievements would not be possible without your care and attention. We are deeply grateful for your dedication and commitment, and we will definitely continue to collaborate with relevant parties to ensure that children or students with diverse abilities and ethnic backgrounds are provided with equal opportunities to thrive and develop.

Congratulations once again to this year’s Inclusive Scholarship awardees. Keep believing in yourselves, and I look forward to seeing what you will achieve with your special talents.

Thank you!