THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 1986
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SOUTHERN DISTRICT PLANS CIVIC EDUCATION STRATEGY
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THE AIM OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT'S COMING CIVIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN IS TO MAKE RESIDENTS PROUD OF HONG KONG AND THE IR DISTRICT, SAID THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OFFICER, MR SIMON LORD.
AT A RECENT SEMINAR ON CIVIC EDUCATION ORGANISED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE, MR LORD SAID PARTICIPATION WAS THE ESSENCE OF CITIZENSHIP AND RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE -- BY THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC AFFAIRS, EXPRESSING OPINIONS AND TAKING PART IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
+WE NEED, THEREFORE, TO CONCENTRATE ON THOSE PEOPLE WHO TAKE LITTLE INTEREST IN THE LIVES OF THEIR FELLOW MEN AND WHO DO NOTHING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, AND TEACH THEM TO BECOME TRUE CITIZENS, HE SAID.
MR LORD SAID THAT IN ACHIEVING THIS END, CIVIC EDUCATION TEAMS WHICH WERE TO BE FORMED UNDER THE DISTRICT'S SIX AREA COMMITTEES WOULD HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE TO PLAY.
THE SEMINAR WAS HELD TO PAVE THE WAY FOR THE YEAR-LONG CIVIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO BE LAUNCHED AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH.
MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE -- INCLUDING DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS, AREA COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES EXCHANGED VIEWS ON THE DIRECTION OF THE CAMPAIGN AND THE METHOD OF FORMING THE CIVIC EDUCATION TEAMS.
UNDER THE CIVIC EDUCATION STRATEGY 1986-87 ENDORSED BY THE DISTRICT BOARD'S COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE, THE CIVIC EDUCATION TEAMS WOULD SERVE AS EXECUTIVE ARMS IN CARRYING OUT BASIC CIVIC EDUCATION AT GRASS-ROOTS LEVEL.
THE TEAMS WOULD COMPRISE AREA COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM LOCAL BODIES. THEY WOULD CO-ORDINATE THE EFFORTS OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES AND OTHER RESIDENTS' ORGANISATIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE CIVIC EDUCATION MESSAGE REACHED THE HOMES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE.
ALSO SPEAKING AT THE SEMINAR, CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE, MR PAUL YOUNG, SAID THE DISTRICT BOARD HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP RESIDENTS REALISE WHAT IT MEANT TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN.
HE SAID HE WAS GLAD TO SEE THAT PEOPLE WERE BECOMING MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE IR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
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