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The Director of Social Welfare, Ms Carol Yip, said today (October 19) that the Government has been promoting among the elderly people to have lifelong learning and active participation in social affairs, contributing their rich experience and expertise for the good of the community.
At the "2012-2013 Award Presentation Ceremony of the Opportunities for the Elderly Project (OEP)", Ms Yip presented the "OEP Special Awards", "the District Best OEP Awards" and "the Hong Kong Best OEP Award" to 19 winning organisations.
Today's ceremony is one of the events of the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign. The theme of the OEP this year encourages elderly people to share their rich experience, in order to promote inter-generational support and create a harmonious society.
Since the launch of the OEP in 1998-99, more than 3 900 programmes have been subsidised. The total amount of subsidy has exceeded $38.6 million, involving more than 2.43 million participants. Many elderly people have not only participated in the OEP actively, but also helped the organisers plan and implement activities.
Ms Yip said, "The OEP has been subsidising social service units, district organisations and schools and so on to organise a variety of activities for elderly people, enabling them to lead a fruitful life. I am pleased to learn that more than 5 000 elderly volunteers have participated in the OEP each year over the past five years."
She added that the Government has not only been promoting "Active Ageing", but also committed to planning a number of initiatives to support the elderly people, including the Old Age Living Allowance which was launched by phases starting early this year; the Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly rolled out in designated districts in September, as well as the Guangdong Scheme launched this month. These initiatives bear testimony to the Government's devotion to the development of elderly services.
Ms Yip hoped that the OEP will inject positive energy into the society, promote care and mutual help, and build a caring community with concerted efforts.
Two other guests of honour, namely the Chairman of the Elderly Commission, Professor Alfred Chan, and the Chairman of the OEP Advisory Committee, Dr Lam Ching-choi, attended today's award presentation ceremony.
On the same occasion, Mr Anderson Junior was appointed the Ambassador for promoting the OEP this year and further spreading the message of "Active Ageing" among elderly people.
Ends/Saturday, October 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:25
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