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The following is issued on behalf of the Elderly Commission:
The Elderly Commission (EC) invited guests from schools and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the Eastern District of the Hong Kong Island to visit Ming Yue Elder Academy today (May 10).
Ming Yue Elder Academy is jointly run by the Hong Kong Chinese Women's Club College and the Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association.
EC launched a school-based Pilot Elder Learning Scheme last year to promote active ageing and to enable elders to lead a flourishing life through lifelong learning. Thirty-two Elder Academies, which are jointly run by schools and partner NGOs, come into operation with the collaboration of different sectors and generations. They aim to encourage elders to continue learning, maintain their physical and mental well-being, foster a sense of worthiness among elders, and promote inter-generational harmony, civic education and cross-sectoral collaboration.
The EC Chairman, Dr C H Leong, was pleased with the inclusion of some elders in the running of the organising committee of Ming Yue Elder Academy. He said that giving elders a chance to participate in the organising process would realise the concept of active ageing and let the younger generations have a better understanding of eldersˇ¦ abilities.
Dr Leong said that EC had been actively liaising with the tertiary institutions with a view to further extending the concept of elder academies to these institutions. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Shue Yan University and Lingnan University had lent support to the elder academies by offering more than 700 places for elders to pursue university studies.
The Associate Academic Vice-President of Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Ms Andrea Hope, also participated in the event today. She introduced the courses to be offered by the university for the elderly. These courses, which would be held from May 26 to July 4, included healthy living, Putonghua, English, China in Qing and Early Republican Period, Chinese Art and investment and financial management.
Dr Leong said that EC planned to establish more elder academies in primary and secondary schools, through encouraging more schools and NGOs to join the Pilot Elder Learning Scheme. He hoped that more elder academies would begin operation in the coming academic year.
To further enhance the image of Elder Academies, a logo design competition was held by EC. The final logo of Elder Academies was a combination of two entries from a student of the Po Chiu Catholic Secondary School and the elders of Ming Yue Elder Academy. The logo carries the message of elder learning and intergenerational harmony. The Chinese words of "Elder Academy" are incorporated in the logo: the pencil is a symbol for learning; the smiling face resembles pleasant learning experience; the question mark represents the process of learning and the letter "E" stands for the elders.
Ends/Saturday, May 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:31
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