ENG-2013 — Page 389

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

regime has been carefully designed to cope with different weather conditions and the special needs of young people with different aptitudes and backgrounds. Guided by instructors, participants become members of the ship's supplementary crew and work alongside their peers, learning to face challenges and to be self-reliant. The exercises also foster camaraderie and team spirit.

Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association

The Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association (HKYHA) is a non-profit making organisation providing safe, good quality, and affordable hostel accommodation in Hong Kong. Its primary aim is to encourage young people to participate in outdoor activities and promote travel and international exchange programmes.

Established in 1973, the HKYHA has been running, planning, and marketing youth hostels for 40 years. The HKYHA currently operates seven youth hostels and has over 30,000 life members and 25,000 individual and corporate members. It is also an affiliate of Hostelling International, an organisation with over four million members worldwide.

In January 2013, for the seventh consecutive year the HKYHA organised the 'Ngong Ping Charity Walk' at the scenic North Lantau Island Country Park. It attracted over 1,000 participants and raised much needed funds for hostel enhancement, environmental protection, and the HKYHA's conservation projects.

YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel was officially launched in December 2013. Under the government's 'Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme, this former six-storey resettlement block in Shek Kip Mei has been transformed into the HKYHA's first city hostel. Combined with the 'Heritage of Mei Ho House' museum showcasing life in public housing from the 1950s to the 1970s, the HKYHA aims to promote heritage conservation to global backpackers and the local community.

Sporting Achievements

In 2013, the Hong Kong team won 56 medals (10 gold, 16 silver and 30 bronze) at the 6th East Asian Games in Tianjin, China, including a victory over China to win gold in the Men's Foil Team event. Hong Kong's athletes won gold in all the squash events, including Men's and Women's Individual as well as Team events.

Hong Kong athletes also performed well at the 2nd Asian Youth Games in Nanjing, China, winning 20 medals (two gold, five silver and 13 bronze), including gold in the Rugby Sevens Men's Team event.

A total of 223 Hong Kong athletes took part in 20 events at the 12th National Games in Liaoning Province, winning seven medals (one gold, three silver and three bronze).

Recreation and Sports Programmes

In 2013, the LCSD organised some 38,200 recreation and sports programmes for about 2.53 million participants of all ages and abilities at a total cost of $159.79 million.

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