XN000022-1981-01-12 — Page 2

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1981

IYDP A COMMUNITY EFFORT

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HONG KONG IS SUPPORTING THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS (YDP), 1981 WITH A SERIES OF EVENTS ORGANISED BY THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.

THE PROGRAMME WILL BE DIRECTED PRIMARILY TO INCREASING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT DISABILITY IS, AN AWARENESS OF THE PROBLEMS IT MAY BRING, AND THE REHABILITATION SERVICES AVAILABLE.

THIS WILL INCLUDE AN OPENING CEREMONY TO MARK THE START OF THE YEAR, AN EXHIBITION, A WALKATHON, AN OUTSTANDING DISABLED PERSONS AWARD, AND AN INDUSTRIAL SKILLS CONTEST OR ABILYMPICS FOR THE DISABLED.

ANNOUNCING THE PROGRAMME AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE (CCC) OF YDP, DR HARRY FANG, SAID THE LOCAL THEME CHOSEN FOR THE YEAR WAS +INTEGRATING THE DISABLED INTO THE COMMUNITY+,

+THIS THEME HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO RE-EMPHASIZE THE GOVERNMENT'S DETERMINATION TO INTEGRATE THE DISABLED INTO THE COMMUNITY AND IS IN LINE WITH THE POLICY OBJECTIVES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AS STATED IN ITS 1977 WHITE PAPER ON REHABILITATION,+ SAID DR FANG.

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+ALTHOUGH THIS LOCAL THEME SOUNDS DIFFERENT FROM PARTICIPATION AND EQUALITY', THE OVERALL THEME FOR THE YEAR CHOSEN BY THE UNITED NATIONS, IT IS OUR CONVICTION THAT SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION WILL INEVITABLY INVOLVE THE PARTICIPATION OF THE DISABLED IN ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMUNITY, CREATE A LASTING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE DISABLED AND NON-DISABLED TO THE MUTUAL BENEFIT OF EACH OTHER AND FINALLY RESULT IN THE EMERGENCE OF A MORE EQUAL SOCIETY,+ HE ADDED.

ALSO SPEAKING AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE CCC YDP, MR KEVIN MAK OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES BRANCH, WHO GAVE A BRIEF RUNDOWN OF THE MAJOR EVENTS OF THE YEAR.

MR MAK SAID THAT MORE THAN 230 EVENTS, WITH AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 20 EVENTS EACH MONTH, WILL BE ORGANISED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THE HIGHLIGHT WOULD BE A GRAND OPENING CEREMONY TO BE HELD AT THE CONCERT HALL OF THE CITY HALL ON JANUARY 16, IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, WOULD FORMALLY DECLARE THE YEAR OPEN.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CEREMONY, THE GOVERNOR WOULD OPEN AN EXHIBITION ENTITLED ONE OF US AT THE CITY HALL EXHIBITION HALL.

THE CHAIRWOMAN