The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, visited Central and Western District this morning (November 22), where he learnt about a children's picture book reading activity and an intangible cultural heritage workshop. He also attended an event under a sports promotion scheme, watched a lion dance performance by students and exchanged views with Central and Western District Council (C&WDC) members.

     Accompanied by the Chairman of the C&WDC, Mr Yip Wing-shing; the Vice Chairman of the C&WDC, Mr Chan Hok-fung; and the District Officer (Central and Western), Mrs Susanne Wong, Mr Lau first went to Kennedy Town Community Complex to participate in a children's picture book reading activity. Through reading of picture books and games, the activity aims to promote reading as well as encourage children to get involved in the community and understand the intangible cultural heritage of the district. Mr Lau also visited an intangible cultural heritage workshop at the same location and accompanied the children to learn a paper crafting technique from a craftsman together.
      
     Mr Lau then proceeded to Kennedy Town Swimming Pool Sitting-out Area to learn about the Community Parent-child Sports Promotion Scheme, which is a pilot scheme jointly started by the Central and Western District Recreation and Sports Association and other sports organisations. He observed students joining various sports promotion activities to understand more about different sporting potentials of students. Mr Lau also watched a lion dance performance by a team of ethnic minority students of Chiu Sheung School, Hong Kong. He commended the ethnic minority students for their talent and their enthusiasm in learning about traditional Chinese culture.
      
     Mr Lau said he was happy to know that the two above-mentioned programmes were innovatively introduced by the Central and Western District Office and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department to flexibly make use of the district's community facilities and release more space for local organisations in the district for use as a platform for organising activities for stakeholders, such as schools, youths and non-government organisations. In addition, he said he appreciated that local organisations regularly hold activities for residents, especially on activities that have district characteristics and support children to get involved with the local community.
         
     Mr Lau also toured Kennedy Town Swimming Pool to inspect its facilities. Before concluding his visit, he met with C&WDC members to exchange views on matters of concern.

Ends/Thursday, November 22, 2018
Issued at HKT 14:40

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