​The Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairman of the Youth Development Commission (YDC), Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, officiated at the kick-off ceremony of the YDC Youth Ambassadors Programme 2019 today (February 22). The Programme aims at identifying and nurturing more young talents with commitment and passion in serving the community. One hundred Youth Ambassadors (YAs) will join a series of core skills training sessions and have chances to represent Hong Kong to participate in large-scale and international activities, with a view to enriching their understanding of Hong Kong society and public affairs. Through cultivating their skills such as teamwork, logical thinking and leadership skills, the YAs can develop their strengths and contribute to society.
 
     Addressing the ceremony, Mr Cheung said that youth development is one of the priority policy areas of the current-term Government. The Government is committed to nurturing Hong Kong youths into becoming future pillars of society with an affection for Hong Kong, a sense of national identity, an international perspective and a commitment to society. The Government set up the YDC last year to enhance policy co-ordination within the Government to enable more holistic and effective examination and discussion of issues of concern to young people, especially issues relating to youth education, career pursuit and home ownership, as well as the participation of young people in politics and their engagement in public policy discussion and debate.
 
     Mr Cheung said he hoped that the YDC Youth Ambassadors Programme organised by the YDC can identify and nurture more young talents with vision, creativity, commitment and passion to serve the community. He also expressed the hope that the YAs could seize the opportunities and actively participate in activities organised by the YDC Youth Ambassadors Programme to deepen their understanding of Hong Kong, the country and the world, upgrade their skills, broaden their horizons and prepare themselves for taking up different posts in society in future so as to contribute to the continued development of Hong Kong.
 
     The YDC Youth Ambassadors Alumni Association has also been set up. The Association provides a platform for the YAs of previous years to continue to serve the community and keep in close contact with each other. They can also help promote the Programme or other work of the YDC. As buddies of the new YAs, the YA alumni can inspire the new YAs through discussing their experience and pass the baton to their successors. Through the Association, YAs of previous years can continue their active participation in large-scale government events as well as social services activities organised by the new YAs.
 
     Also officiating at the kick-off ceremony today was the Vice-chairman of the YDC, Mr Lau Ming-wai. Other attending guests included members of the YDC, representatives from the organisations which had nominated the YAs and 51 YA alumni.
 
     In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Government recruited a group of YAs in 2017 through the Youth Ambassadors in Celebration of the Establishment of the HKSAR Programme and provided them with opportunities for training and participation in local and overseas celebration activities. In view of the remarkable results, the Home Affairs Bureau and the YDC decided to regularise the programme starting from this year and recruit 100 YAs each year. All YAs shall receive dedicated training, including core skills training, and will have visits and exchanges outside Hong Kong. Arrangements will be made for them to participate in large-scale or international events and activities organised by government bureaux and departments, such as international conferences, exhibitions and celebration events. The YAs will also be tasked to organise social service activities for the community. Those with outstanding performance will be selected to receive advanced training from acclaimed tertiary institutes outside Hong Kong.
 
     For more information on the YDC Youth Ambassadors Programme 2019, please visit the YDC's webpage (www.ydc.gov.hk/en/programmes/ambassadors).

Ends/Friday, February 22, 2019
Issued at HKT 19:15

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