(13 July 2014, Hong Kong) The fourth Young Ambassadors for Geoconservation Training Programme, jointly organised by NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings” or “the Group”; Hong Kong stock code: 659) and the Association for Geoconservation, Hong Kong, kicked off at a welcoming event yesterday. Close to 600 senior secondary students from 90 schools have enrolled this year and training capacity has expanded to 240 to cater for an increasing level of student and school interest. This year’s programme features local and overseas field trips and incorporates urban planning training that will hone students’ multiple thinking skills and widen their horizons. An alumni association, YA Alumni Club, has been established this year as a platform to encourage Young Ambassadors to continue serving the community with knowledge gained from the programme.
As a major initiative under NWS Hong Kong Geo Wonders Hike, the Young Ambassadors programme has provided more than 10,000 training hours for 400 senior secondary school students since its inception in 2011. Around 500 attendees, including outgoing and incoming Young Ambassadors and their teacher-advisors, gathered at the award ceremony cum orientation event held yesterday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Awards were presented to stellar teams and individuals. The honour of “Gold Award,” “Silver Award” and “Bronze Award” went to Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section), Pui Ching Middle School and New Asia Middle School respectively. Five individuals received “Young Geo-guide Award” for their outstanding performance in leading guided public tours.
During July and August this year, 240 shortlisted Young Ambassadors will sit through “Geo-Class” training that includes theory classes as well as Hong Kong Global Geoparks of China field study conducted by professional instructors. Top-performing teams will attend a subsequent whole person development series comprising leadership camp and the newly-added urban planning talk and visit. Elite teams will be selected to participate in an overseas study trip in November this year. All Young Ambassadors will have the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice by participating in guided public tours and related activities of NWS Hong Kong Geo Wonders Hike.
The YA Alumni Club led by past Young Ambassadors was also inaugurated at yesterday’s event. All ambassador alumni will be signed up as members with entitlements to various training, guided tours and annual meetings organised by the Club. Top performers may be sponsored to gain accreditation as professional Geoparks guides to further promote geoconservation. This resonates with the NWS Hong Kong Geo Wonders Hike theme of “Geoconservation without Boundaries.”
At the ceremony, Tommy Cheung, Executive Director and Chairman of Environmental Sustainability Committee of NWS Holdings, said, “Geoconservation requires longer-lasting efforts that need to be driven by the younger generation. In the past we have trained hundreds of young leaders through geoconservation and whole person development training. The YA Alumni Club will allow like-minded Young Ambassadors to stay connected and share knowledge and experience, keeping conservation efforts live.”
Dr Young Ng, Chairman of the Association for Geoconservation, Hong Kong, said, “We are delighted with the active participation of past Young Ambassadors in our training programme. It is encouraging to see that they have made efforts to apply their knowledge through promoting Hong Kong’s geo-features to the public and even overseas experts and tourists. I hope the Young Ambassadors can uphold their passion in geoconservation and support the various training and activities organised by the YA Alumni Club so as to bring out their full potential and collaboratively advance the long-term development of geoconservation.”
NWS Hong Kong Geo Wonders Hike has engaged over 22,000 members of the public in a wide range of community activities since its launch in 2008. The supporting organisations for this year include the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Department of Geography and Resource Management of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Rotary Club of Tolo Harbour and the Group’s member companies.
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This press release is also available on the Group’s website ( www.nws.com.hk).
NWS Holdings Limited (“NWS Holdings”, Hong Kong stock code: 659), the infrastructure and service flagship of New World Development Company Limited (Hong Kong stock code: 17), operates businesses in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau. Its Infrastructure portfolio includes Roads, Energy, Water and Ports & Logistics projects. Its Services portfolio comprises Facilities Management (the management of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and Free Duty), Construction & Transport (construction, bus and ferry services) and Strategic Investments.
Association for Geoconservation, Hong Kong (“AGHK”) is a charitable institution composed of volunteers with mission to preserve Hong Kong’s landforms and rocks; to disseminate earth sciences; to promote sustainable geotourism and ecotourism and to make Hong Kong a better place to live in. AGHK organizes seminars, geoappreciation tours and campaigns, publishes articles and books to promote geoconservation; closely monitors developments and projects which might destroy our invaluable heritage and cooperates with government and conservation bodies to conserve our rocks and landforms.
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NWS Holdings Limited
