Page 50 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

Justice and Social Concern Committee

The Committee is chaired by Dr. Alice Yuk 8 participants who are theology or university
Tak-fun. Executive Staff is Mr. Wan Hoi-wing. students with internship opportunities to delve into
the relation between Christian faith and Justice.
1. A Decade after of '97 Advisory The 2 interns who joined the Council were Ms.
Meeting Tam Sau-ngor and Mr. Leung Nap-hin.
2007 marked a decade after the 1997
(2) “To be a Shining Light” Training Program
handover. The Committee held an Advisory
Meeting for the “10th Anniversary of 1997” on To nurture Christian youths to embrace
September 14, 2007 with the theme of "The Way the holistic gospel with social concern and
We Should Walk”. The gathering reviewed the ecumenical spirit, the Committee organized this
post-1997 situation to determine how to continue program to encourage them to carry out social
to work out God's mission in the challenges ministry in their churches and communities.
ahead. The committee formed two concern Participating churches included: Chinese Rhenish
groups on education and social services. The Church, Tsz Wan Shan and the Evangelical
education concern group sent a letter to Mr. Church of Christ.
Michael Suen, Secretary of Education to express
the difficulties and suggestions from the school-
sponsoring organizations for 2008. The social 3. Social Justice Concern
service concern group held a seminar on "The
Strength and Integration between Church and (1) Racial Discrimination Bill
Social Service” to discuss how to enhance the
The Discrimination Bill was introduced
communication between church and Christian
into the Legislative Council by the HKSAR
service units and strengthen their cooperation.
Government at the end of 2006. Yet, the Bill
still had areas that needed improvement. Thus,
the Council published a "Christian Statement on
the Legislation Against Racial Discrimination”
on December 10, 2007 co-signed by Cardinal
Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, Catholic Diocese of Hong
Kong; Metropolitan Nikitas Lulias, Orthodox
Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East
Asia; the Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Soo, Chairperson
of the Council and Rev. Ralph Lee, the Honorary
General Secretary of the Council. At the end
of February 2008, the Committee made a joint
statement with other human rights organizations
Advisory Meeting — 10th anniversary of 1997 and sent the declaration to the Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
(CERD). In addition, in June 2008 ethnic
2. Leadership Formation
minority organizations and other Social Welfare
organizations issued a “Joint Statement on
(1) The Ecumenical Summer School
the Legislation Against Racial Discrimination"
To equip the next generation of young declaration, which the Council jointly signed.
church leaders with the wider, rich tradition of The Committee issued another joint declaration
the ecumenical movement, the Council along initiated by Christian organizations called
with the Hong Kong Student Christian Movement “Christian Statement on the Legislation Against
(HKSCM), Hong Kong Women Christian Council Racial Discrimination”， demanding to review
(HKWCC) and Hong Kong Christian Institute some of the terms drafted in the Bill that allowed
(HKCI) organized the 2nd Ecumenical Summer narrow coverage and limited scope. Finally, the
School in 2008, co-organized with Asian Human Bill was passed in the Legislative Council after
Rights Commission. This program provided amendment.