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A colourful tented village will spring up on the grass outside the Chong Hing Water Sports Centre in Sai Kung this week when more than 2,000 people gather for the Stargaze Camp for All and the Blind 2013.
Organised by the Social Welfare Department and supported by more than 50 business organisations, non-profit organisations, schools and government departments, the Stargaze Camp will be held on October 19 and 20 with the aim of fostering social inclusion and building a more harmonious Hong Kong.
Everyone is invited to take part but special emphasis is placed on the disadvantaged, such as those with visual, hearing, intellectual and physical impairments, ethnic minorities and new arrivals, with a view to getting everyone together.
During the stargazing sessions, astronomical phenomena will be explained to participants in Chinese, English, and sign language. Braille star maps will be distributed to visually impaired participants to help them feel, sense and enjoy the wonders of the universe.
Popular lyrist Mr Heung Suet-wai has specially written a theme song for the event titled "Starlight", and the song will also be performed in sign language.
This is a signature event under the Caring Hong Kong theme of the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign. For event details, please visit stargazeforall.hk.¡@
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Exciting outdoor activities will also take place at Repulse Bay Beach, which will be turned into an arena for the "1st Hong Kong Southern District Beach Games and International Beach Water Polo Tournament @ Repulse Bay Beach" on October 19 and 20.
Hosted by the Southern District Tourism and Culture Festival 2013, this is the first international water polo tournament to be held at a beach in Hong Kong.
International teams coming to Hong Kong for the water polo tournament include those from Beijing, Shanghai, Japan and Guam.
The tournament will adopt a four-on-four format and the games will be played within a floating court next to the beach. As well as facing the challenge of the opposing team, athletes may also have to deal with choppy water, making the action even more exciting!
Repulse Bay Beach will also witness the closing stages of swimming race "The Five" on October 20. The contestants start at Blake Pier in Stanley then swim through 5 kilometres of open water to the finishing line at Repulse Bay.
Spectators can also enjoy watching the shark-themed Sand Sculpture Competition and other on-site excitement includes canoe polo, beach handball, beach dodgeball and Muay Thai boxing.
The event takes place from 9am to 6pm on both days. For enquiries, please call 2389 9926.
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The Sha Tin District Youth Programme Committee is now calling for submissions for the Sha Tin District Graffiti Competition. This is a great opportunity for young people to unleash their creativity through the medium of graffiti art.
The theme is "Safeguard Sincerity, Corruption-free Hong Kong, Youth Power" and the competition is open to people between the ages of 10 to 26 who live, study or work in Sha Tin. Contestants can compete as individuals, in groups or through their schools.
Entries should either be presented on 425mm x 275mm paper, or saved in digital files of 1MB to 2MB size. The submission deadline is November 22.
A briefing session on the competition will be held on the evening of October 18 at the Jockey Club Shatin Integrated Service Centre for Children and Youth, Hong Kong PHAB Association, G/F, Block 34, 2 Hang Sing Street, City One, Sha Tin.
The artworks of the top 10 winners will be reproduced on the walls of public areas in Sha Tin.
For enquiries, please call 2637 2266, or email to graffitihkphab@gmail.com.¡@
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A sea of drums will fill the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza on October 19 and 20 when 62 teams of drummers from the Mainland, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong will perform in the 11th Hong Kong Synergy 24 Drum Competition. The public can enjoy the free performances from 10.30am onwards.
Organised by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the competition is divided into eight sections. Aside from the Designated Repertoire Section, the drummers are free to choreograph their drumming routines with music of their own choice.
In the Designated Repertoire Section teams must perform one of three prescribed theme tunes - "Rolling Walnuts", "The Ox Fighting the Tiger" or "Flying Dragons and Jumping Tigers".
The competition is open to people of all ages ranging from kindergarten children to university students and students with special needs to senior citizens.
The finalists will battle against each other again on November 9 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall. Admission tickets for the final competition are available at URBTIX.
For more information, please visit the webpage: www.hkco.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ractivity=0&ainfo=390&lang=E.¡@
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The Agency for Volunteer Service has announced that online voting is now open for the "Shining Volunteer Story Award" and "Most Touching Volunteer Photo Award", both of which are included in the HSBC Share-to-Care Volunteer Campaign. Voting closes on October 20.
The campaign aims to promote the spirit of volunteerism through sharing.
For the "Shining Volunteer Story Award", 16 touching stories (in Chinese) about individuals' personal experiences in carrying out volunteer work can be read and voted for on the website: www.avsstc.org.hk/story/vote.php.¡@
A judging panel will assess the effectiveness of each volunteer's service as described in the write-up and how inspiring it is for others. Online voting results will account for 10 per cent of the total score.
For the "Most Touching Volunteer Photo Award", 40 photos featuring the work of volunteers and volunteer groups have been uploaded for voting on this website: www.avsstc.org.hk/photo/vote.php.¡@
The judging criteria include the creativity and aesthetics of each photo. Online voting will account for 25 per cent of the total score.
Everyone is invited to cast their votes, and all voters will have the chance to win a lucky draw prize. For enquiries, please call 2546 0694.
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The Social Welfare Department will present 19 awards at the 2012-13 Award Presentation Ceremony of the Opportunities for the Elderly Project (OEP) at Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre on October 19.
The OEP aims to boost opportunities for elderly people by subsidising organisations to launch programmes that enable them to pursue lifelong learning, make good use of their expertise or allow them to use their life experiences for society's benefit.
The award recipients will be commended for their effort and dedication in carrying out meaningful programmes. Seven organisations will receive OEP Special Awards, 11 for the District Best OEP Awards, and one for the Hong Kong Best OEP Award - the highest honour of all. The winning criteria include creativity, sustainability, partnership and economic effectiveness.
The ceremony will open with a harmonica performance by an elderly group who will also sing the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign theme song "Sail On".
There will also be a singing performance by artiste Nancy Sit, a violin recital and a dance performance in "Gangnam style".
For more information, please visit: www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_elderly/sub_csselderly/id_opportunit/.¡@
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All these events support the "Hong Kong: Our Home" public participation campaign, which aims to inject positive energy into society, foster social cohesion and promote care, mutual help and solidarity in the community.
More than 230 Partner Organisations have so far pledged support for the Campaign.
Altogether, the Government and Partner Organisations are organising more than 1,000 events/activities under the four themes of the Campaign from the end of April to the end of December this year.
Full details of the Campaign can be found on the website www.hkourhome.gov.hk.
Ends/Sunday, October 13, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:00
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