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The award presentation ceremony for the Outstanding Youth Commendation Scheme organised by the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) and the Commission on Youth (CoY) was held today (March 12). Thirty-six young people were commended for their outstanding achievements in the areas of personal development, leadership and social services.
The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah; the Chairman of the CoY, Mr Lau Ming-wai, and the Convenor of the Youth Programme Co-ordinating Committee, Mr David Yip, attended the ceremony to show encouragement to the young awardees.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Lau praised the young awardees for their exceptional performance and achievements in various fields such as sport, the arts, academic studies and social services. He also said he hoped that they would continue to inspire and lead other young people with their passion and emit positive energy to help collectively construct a harmonious Hong Kong.
Mr Lau Ming-wai said it was the second time that he attended the commendation presentation ceremony after joining the Commission on Youth. He added that the young awardees, who have varied backgrounds and talents, all care about society while striving for their individual dreams. He hoped that they could share their experiences with their friends, he said.
By giving recognition to outstanding young people, the Outstanding Youth Commendation Scheme aims to encourage young people to set targets for their personal development and to actively take part in community building and social services, thus setting an example for their fellow youngsters. The award presentation ceremony is one of the programmes under this year's "Appreciate Hong Kong" campaign. The organisers hope to spread positive energy to the public by sharing the encouraging stories of the young awardees.
The awardees were nominated by the 18 districts for either the Open Category or the Secondary School Category. Four candidates with outstanding performances in the first-round interview and team activities were awarded the Stellar Accomplishment Award, the Youth Leadership Award, the Social Service Award or the Personal Breakthrough Award.
The final round entrants then met the judging panels of their respective categories for the panels to decide on the awardees of the Top 10 Outstanding Youths and the "Star of the Stars".
Organisations commended under the Outstanding Youth Activity Commendation Scheme also received awards today for their innovative, purposeful and popular district youth programmes. The scheme aims to encourage the organisation of more quality and effective activities to promote youth development in the districts.
The award recipients of the 2015-16 Outstanding Youth Commendation Scheme and Outstanding Youth Activity Commendation Scheme are listed in the Annex.
Ends/Saturday, March 12, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:36
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