XN000022-1982-06-26 — Page 4

SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1982

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HOME AFFAIRS SECRETARY LAUNCHES SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME

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NEXT YEAR'S SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME WILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INCREASED LOCAL INITIATIVE AND DIRECTION AS A RESULT OF THE STRENGTHENING OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND THE FORMATION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DAVID AKERS-JONES, ANNOUNCED TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF THE 1982 SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH STADIUM IN WAN CHAI, HE SAID,

SINCE THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME BEGAN 14 YEARS AGO, HONG KONG SOCIETY HAS GONE THROUGH A PERIOD OF REMARKABLE CHANGE. ATTITUDES ARE CHANGING TASTES AND FASHIONS CHANGE AND LOYALTIES SHIFT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE EXPANDED AND ALTERED.

+DESPITE THESE CHANGES THERE REMAINS A CLEAR NEED TO PROVIDE

A FOCUS OF INTEREST, ENJOYMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE DURING THE LONG, HOT WEEKS OF THE SUMMER.+

MR AKERS-JONES NOTED THAT THIS YEAR'S PROGRAMME WOULD PROVIDE

A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

MORE THAN 8 000 OUTDOOR AND INDOOR ACTIVITIES ARE BEING ORGANISED THIS YEAR FOR PEOPLE BETWEEN SIX AND 25. MOSTLY ATHLETIC AND RECREATIONAL IN NATURE, THESE ACTIVITIES AIM TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND INTERESTS AND GIVE THEM VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY LIVING.

MORE THAN 500 GUESTS FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, TOGETHER WITH 1 500 YOUTHS ATTENDED TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY. AMONG THE GUESTS WERE STEWARD OF THE JOCKEY CLUB, MR LAMSON KWOK: CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, MR HILTON CHEONG- LEEN: REGIONAL SECRETARY (HONG KONG AND KOWLOON), MR GRAHAM BARNES: COMMISSIONER FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE, MR BARRIE WIGGHAMI DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE, MR Y.F. HUI.

AT THE CEREMONY, MR AKERS-JONES PRESENTED SOUVENIRS TO CHAIRMEN OF THE 18 DISTRICT YOUTH RECREATION CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEES AND TO MR LAMSON KWOK IN RECOGNITION OF JOCKEY CLUB'S $5.5 MILLION DONATION TOWARDS THE 1982 SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME.

THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB HAS BEEN THE MAIN SUPPORTER OF THE ANNUAL SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMME SINCE 1969. PART OF ITS DONATION THIS YEAR WILL BE USED TO FINANCE PERMANENT FACILITIES FOR YOUTH RECREATION AND OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUTSTANDING YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE PROGRAMME.