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V. EDUCATION ABOUT “ SHARING” During the year under review, the Commission
paid special attention to 2 areas, namely: further
The Five Loaves and Tw o Fish Annual Fund development o f a representative government in Hong
Raising Campaign entered into its 12th year last year. Kong; the drafting o f the Basic Law. Several seminars
It has become an im portant tool fo r Mission and courses were organized. A civic education
Education and is very well supported by churches and bulletin was introduced and published in place o f the
individuals from a variety backgrounds. Economic and Public Affairs Bulletin (which had
been published for 5 years).
Last year a total o f HK$ 1,511,685 was raised.
The amount was shared among the drought victims Im portant bills, policy papers and reports which
in Ethiopia, typhoon victims in Bangladesh, a "feed caught the attention o f the Commission included,
the children" project in Sri Lanka, earthquake victims amongst others: the Powers and Privileges Bill (o f the
in Mexico, and victims o f a volcanic eruption in Legislative Council); the Broadcasting Board Review;
Columbia. and the Report on the Delivery of Medical Service
in Hospitals — Executive Overview.
The focus o f attention for 1985 was on Ethiopia.
The allocation amounted to slightly more than HK$1
m illion. One o f Council's staff members, Mr. Philip The Commission scrutinises them carefully and
Lam was appointed to represent the Christian give a fair view to the authorities, through meetings
Conference o f Asia in a World Council o f Churches with Unofficial Members o f Executive and
Relief Consultation held in Ethiopia. The findings Legislative Councils or the press release or press
brought back caught the attention o f a great number interviews.
o f people. A famous professional photographer,
Mr. Water Poon, volunteered his time to go on the The Commission is a member o f the Coalition To
C ouncil’s behalf to Ethiopia to take pictures. His Stop The Construction o f the Daya Bay Nuclear
photo exhibition at the C ity Hall and the Yuen Long Plant. As the proposed nuclear plant is situated only
Town Hall and his publications helped immensely 50 km from Hong Kong, an accident w ill pose a grave
the prom otion o f this year's campaign. threat to the lives o f 5.5 m illion Hong Kong residents
and the economic prosperity or the territory.
Sales o f specially designed Christmas cards (first The Council made special representations
time ever) brought in well over HK$ 100,000. The regarding the Jenkins Bill, the British Nationality
sweaters campaign fo r Ethiopian children was also a Order, and the Vietnamese Refugees issues. We were
success. More than 5,000 items were collected w ithin grateful especially to the National Council of
a month.
Churches o f Christ in U.S.A. and the British Council
o f Churches as well as to a couple o f members o f
Parliament and the House of Lords who listened to
A quarterly bulletin highlighting the plight of our views and lobbied fo r us.
victims o f natural disasters all over the world and the
importance o f Christian concern and sharing was The Council was as always very concerned with
launched last year. It was a means o f accountability education policies and student ministries. A book
to our donors as it also contains inform ation about was published on "Dem ocratization of School
where and how the money is spent. A dm inistration” . The Education Committee also
aired pertinent criticisms o f the Guidelines on Civic
Education in Schools by the Education Department.
The Council held regular meetings w ith Christian
VI. RESPONSE TO SOCIAL NEEDS D istrict Board Members.
The Council responds to social issues in a variety This Spring, 3 staff members and a committee
of approaches, and the Public Policy Commission member were invited by the British Council o f
plays a big part in it. Churches and the Church o f Sweden Mission to the
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