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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1983
DISABLED GATHER FOR CLOSER HARMONY
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THE FAR EASTERN REGIONAL CAMP FOR HANDICAPPED YOUNG PEOPLE WAS OPENED THIS (WEDNESDAY) EVENING BY THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR JOHN CHAMBERS, AT THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY,
SEVENTY DELEGATES FROM SEVEN COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN, TAIWAN, MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, MACAU AND HONG KONG — ARE TAKING PART IN THE WEEK-LONG CAMP, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO BE HELD HERE.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE CAMP AIMED TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG HANDICAPPED YOUTH FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, AND TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER BY EXCHANGING EXPERIENCES IN REHABILITATION WORK.
DURING THE WEEK, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE SEEING A WIDE VARIETY OF REHABILITATION SERVICES AND VISITING PLACES OF INTEREST.
+I AM SURE THAT THROUGH THESE VISITS, TALKS, SEMINARS AND EXCHANGES OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, NEW IDEAS ON WORKING WITH AND FOR THE HANDICAPPED WILL EMERGE AND BEAR FRUIT IN THE DAYS TO COME,+ MR CHAMBERS SAID.
J
HE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE ORGANISERS, THE HONG KONG FEDERATION OF HANDICAPPED YOUTH, FOR THEIR SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED, WHICH INCLUDED AN ACTIVITIES CENTRE, A HALF-WAY HOSTEL, A SELF-SUPPORTING WORKSHOP AND A DRIVING SCHOOL.
NOTING THAT THE FEDERATION WAS FOUNDED BY THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE WELFARE AND RECREATIONAL SERVICES, MR CHAMBERS SAID IT IS A FINE EXAMPLE WHICH DEMONSTRATES THE HANDICAPPED PEOPLE CAN DO A GREAT DEAL TO HELP THEMSELVES.+
ONE OF THE AIMS OF THE FEDERATION, HE SAID, WAS TO PROMOTE REHABILITATION SERVICES THROUGH THE SHARING OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN THIS FIELD, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD.
MR CHAMBERS EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MORE SIMILAR EXCHANGE CAMPS WOULD BE HELD IN THE FUTURE.
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