MONDA APRIL 29, 1985
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YOUTHS ROLE IN 'NEW CHALLENGE' STRESSED
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GREATER ATTENTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO YOUTH AT A TIME WHEN HONG KONG IS MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO MEET NEW CHALLENGES THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR CONFERENCE ON YOUTH POLICIES IN PERSPECTIVE+. JOINTLY OFFICIATING AT THE CEREMONY WAS MRS SELINA CHOW, CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON THE 1985 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR (CCCIYY).
THE THREE-DAY CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WITH MORE THAN 80 REPRESENTATIVES FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND PRIVATE ORGANISATIONS TAKING PART.
THE CONFERENCE, FEATURING THE SLOGAN: +OUR YOUTH, OUR FUTURE+, IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE CCCIYY TO PROMOTE THE IYY THEMES OF +PARTICIPATION+ AND +DEVELOPMENT+.
MR LIAO SAID: THE UNITED NATIONS ADOPTED 'PARTICIPATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE' AS THE THEME FOR THE 1985 INTERNATIONAL YOUTH YEAR. THE THEME VERY CLEARLY INDICATES THE PROPER ATTITUDE TO LIFE FOR YOUTH. IT ALSO REFLECTS WHAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTS OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE.
+OUR YOUTH IS OUR FUTURE. WE ARE AT THE MOMENT ACTIVELY WORKING TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR HONG KONG, AND IN SO DOING WE SHOULD CERTAINLY NOT OVERLOOK THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUTH.
+THERE ARE ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE IN HONG KONG BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 25, WHICH REPRESENTS 41.4 PER CENT OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION. OF THESE, 62 PER CENT ARE WORKING YOUTH, WHICH IS ABOUT 32 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL LABOUR FORCE. THESE PEOPLE PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT
OUR FUTURE IN ROLE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG. FACT DEPENDS ON OUR YOUTH.+
MR LIAO POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM IN FOSTERING
TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT WAS WELL SUMMED UP IN THE IYY SLOGAN - ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, TO DEVELOP INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL AND TO PROMOTE PEACE.
HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE RATIO OF YOUTH TAKING PART IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS HAD STEADILY INCREASED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES.
+YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN POLITICS IS A FAIRLY RECENT TREND AND IT TIES IN WELL WITH HONG KONG'S ADMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENT,+ HE SAID.
/CITING THE