By The SUN
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| Secretary Erick Tsang joins EOC officers led by Chairperson Linda Lam at the event |
The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) hosted an
appreciation ceremony on Saturday, Apr 12, for about 100 community stakeholders
who have helped advance racial equality in Hong Kong.
The event held at Eaton Hotel in Jordan commemorated both
the 2025 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the
15th anniversary of the implementation of the Race Discrimination Ordinance
(RDO).
As a token of its appreciation, the EOC presented plaques
to the guests from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities, representing 80
non-government organizations serving various ethnic groups and migrant domestic
workers.
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| The community leaders honored at the gathering and their hosts (EOC photo) |
Among them were a number of Filipino community leaders,
including Cynthia Tellez of the Migrant Workers, Lito Castillo of the Hong Kong
Musicians Union and Daisy CL Mandap of The SUN.
“Today we are all gathered here, in this room, to
acknowledge those individuals and organizations who have worked tirelessly over
the years for people from Hong Kong’s less represented communities by
empowering them, educating them and giving them visibility,” said EOC
chairperson Linda Lam.
“The EOC’s work would not have been possible without the
collaboration and support of frontline organizations and community leaders.”
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Lam officiated the event’s opening ceremony along with
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang, who spoke of the government’s
own effort to ensure people from various ethnic backgrounds enjoy equal
opportunities, including within the civil service.
“First and foremost, the government
leads by example. As the largest employer in Hong Kong, the civil service has
strived to enhance employment opportunities for ethnic minorities; over fifty
civil service grades have reviewed and adjusted their Chinese-language
proficiency requirements to give more opportunities to non-ethnic Chinese
applicants to join the civil service,” he said.
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| A big 'thank you' flashes after VIP guests pressed the screen |
“The government also strives to promote
equal opportunities in the private sectors and the community. All these
underline the government’s commitment to building an equal, inclusive, and
harmonious society."
Both officials lauded the implementation of the RDO 15
years ago, with Lam saying it “significantly transformed the racial equality
landscape in Hong Kong” and gave it the distinction of being one of a few
places in Asia with an anti-discrimination legislation.
She added, “The anti-discrimination protections have
positioned Hong Kong well in international exchange and collaboration and in
the integration into the broader national development.”
The event closed with a networking among guests.
