The kick-off ceremony for the "beautiful Hong Kong" campaign is held at the Grand Hall of Conrad Hong Kong in Admiralty on July 24, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
A series of activities will be rolled out to promote Hong Kong’s gorgeous natural sceneries, boost young people’s awareness of ecological protection and explore ways to build a green and sustainable future.
Organized by the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute, the “beautiful Hong Kong" campaign was announced three days after the institute launched its new book series, Hong Kong Chronicles: Nature. Known as the “encyclopedia of natural history”, the series aim to offer a panoramic view of the nature environment of ancient and modern Hong Kong.
To mark the launch of Hong Kong Chronicles: Nature, the institute will hold a publication ceremony for the book in November this year
A total of 56 leading scholars participated in compiling the series. The first two volumes on a regional overview and population were launched at the 33rd Hong Kong Book Fair, which opened on July 19, while three other volumes on the environment, natural resources and ecology protection will be published in November.
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In conjunction with the book’s launch, the HKCI is planning a host of activities to help people know more about the special administrative region’s landscape. One event requires residents to select the city’s Top 10 natural sceneries. Residents, as well as tourists, can log on to the HKCI website to vote from now until Oct 16. Participants will have a chance to win round-trip, business-class air tickets to designated cities, plus other prizes.
The institute will cultivate 30 youth tour guides, aged 18 to 25, to acquaint themselves with Hong Kong’s natural landscape, with the registration date ending on Aug 13. Participants in the program will be given professional training, and can join outdoor study tours, including an ecological exchange tour of Shenzhen and Huizhou in Guangdong province.
The second phase of the training will enable up to 1,000 primary and secondary school teachers and students to appreciate the ecological beauty of Hong Kong.
Another program will be set up to help primary and secondary school students know more about nature and ecology. By selecting the contents of local chronicles, the HKCI will compile a set of five reading materials. It will also hold online training lectures for teachers, online exhibitions, and teacher-student guidance groups to help youngsters better understand the history and landscape of Hong Kong.
To mark the launch of Hong Kong Chronicles: Nature, the institute will hold a publication ceremony for the book in November this year. The event will also serve as an environmental forum, with officials and experts from the SAR and the Chinese mainland invited to share their experiences in environmental governance to help build a low-carbon and sustainable future.
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Speaking at the kick-off ceremony for the “beautiful Hong Kong” campaign on Monday, Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki said the SAR government has devoted itself to protecting the city’s natural environment.
He expects the government, the business community, academia and local residents to work together as inheritors, promoters and advocates of green culture, thus creating a more beautiful Hong Kong.
The HKCI was established by Our Hong Kong Foundation in August, 2019. It aims to record the city’s history from about 7,000 years ago to 2017 in its landmark Hong Kong Chronicles: Nature. Consisting of 10 parts, compilation of the book is expected to be completed by 2027.
Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com
