XN000022-1987-02-20 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1987

SHE SAID PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TOOK MANY FORMS AND WAS NOT RESTRICTED TO CASTING VOTES AND HOLDING MEETINGS. THE AIM WOULD BE TO FIND OUT HOW BEST A CITIZEN MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY AND BENEFIT FROM IT AND HOW THE CITIZEN MIGHT BEST PREPARE FOR, AND HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON, CHANGES IN SOCIETY, SHE ADDED.

MISS DUNN SAID MANY PEOPLE WERE ALREADY CONTRIBUTING TO IMPROVING SOCIETY AND LEARNING THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE DISCUSSIONS WITHIN THE DISTRICTS ON PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT POLICY.

SHE CITED THE DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ON THE TRIAD PROBLEM AS A GOOD EXAMPLE.

+MY COLLEAGUES ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND I RECEIVED A VERY CLEAR IMPRESSION OF THE THOUGHTFULNESS AND CONSTRUCTIVENESS

BEHIND THE COMMENTS MADE BY ORDINARY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON THESE PROPOSALS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CHANGES IN THIS AREA NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OWE A GREAT DEAL TO THE BALANCED, RESPONSIBLE AND JUDICIOUS ADVICE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY, SHE SAID.

MISS DUNN SAID HONGKONG NOW HAD A COMMUNITY OF CITIZENS WHO WERE READY AND WILLING TO PLAY AN ACTIVE PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY AS A LIVELY, FREE, AND CARING SOCIETY, AND THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION HAD CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO IT.

+CIVIC EDUCATION, ORGANISED IN AN IMAGINATIVE AND FLEXIBLE MANNER, IS, TOGETHER WITH A REPRESENTATIVE AND OPEN GOVERNMENT, A MEANS OF ENSURING THAT ALL OUR CITIZENS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY

TO CONTRIBUTE IN A HEALTHY AND POSITIVE WAY, SHE ADDED.

IN A CLOSING ADDRESS, THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DONALD LIAO, CALLED FOR A DYNAMIC APPROACH IN THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION TO COPE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY.

MR LIAO SAID THE PEOPLE'S CONCEPTION OF CIVIC RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS WOULD CHANGE IN THE COURSE OF TIME AS SOCIETY DEVELOPED,

HE SAID THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE REFLECTED THIS DYNAMIC APPROACH IN PROMOTING CIVIC EDUCATION.

MR LIAO ALSO SPOKE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CO-OPERATION FROM RESIDENTS AND THE NEED FOR THEM TO EXCHANGE EXPERIENCES WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO STRIVE FOR THE GOAL AND IDEAL OF CIVIC EDUCATION.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE CONFERENCE IN FORMULATING FUTURE POLICIES AND DIRECTIONS IN CIVIC EDUCATION.

/THE CONFERENCE