Speech by DCS at Opening Ceremony of Equal Opportunities Commission Racial Diversity and Inclusion Sports Day 2024 (with photos)

     Following is the speech by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, at the Opening Ceremony of the Equal Opportunities Commission Racial Diversity and Inclusion Sports Day 2024 today (April 21):

林美秀主席（平等機會委員會主席）�鄭泳舜議員（立法會議員）���嘉賓���朋�：

　　早晨，大家好ï¼�很高興出席今日由平等機會委員會（平機會）舉辦的「種æ—�多元共èž�é�‹å‹•æ—¥ã€�。今日的活動是平機會為響應三月二å��一日「國際消除種æ—�歧視日ã€�å�Šæ…¶ç¥�香港法例第602章《種æ—�歧視æ¢�例》實施15周年而舉辦的é‡�點節目。平機會將奧林匹克格言「更高ã€�æ›´å¿«ã€�æ›´å¼·——更團çµ�ã€�çš„ç�†å¿µå’Œç¨®æ—�平等共èž�çµ�å�ˆï¼Œé€�é�Žä»Šæ—¥çš„é�‹å‹•æ—¥è®“ä¸�å�Œæ—�裔ã€�背景ã€�年齡ã€�è�·æ¥­çš„å�ƒåŠ è€…，以體育會å�‹ï¼Œä»¥ç«¶æŠ€ä¿ƒé€²äº¤æµ�。今日也是第ä¹�屆全港é�‹å‹•æœƒé–‹å¹•çš„æ—¥å­�，令今日的é�‹å‹•æ—¥æ›´å…·é›™é‡�çš„æ„�義。

　　香港有超�30����裔人士，他們許多都是土生土長，有些多年�已經在香港�地生根，是香港大家庭的���員。他們從事�行�業，勇於拼�，敢於創新，為自己開拓發展空間，也為推動香港的發展和進步作出貢�。

　　《種�歧視�例》實施15年以來，平機會作為負責執行�例的法定機構，一直致力推動所有香港巿民無分種�，��以在生活�工作�教育等方�享有平等機會，��歧視�騷擾或中傷。

　　經�多年來的努力，平機會和社會�界在促進種�平等�推動社會種�共�發展方�，�了很多的工作。簽署《種�多元共�僱主約章》的�業，由最�首批的11間增加至目�超�400間；而在去年推出的第二屆「種��善校園嘉許計劃�，�加的人數學校亦從60間大增三�至179間。

　　政府一直致力促進市民�分種��有平等機會�得公共�務，並推動���裔人士��，共建關愛共�社會。為加強支�平機會有關《種�歧視�例》的宣傳�教育活動，政府自二○一五年起�平機會�供�外資�，設立「少數�裔事務組�，以�加強宣傳教育�培訓�社��繫等工作，致力消除社會上����裔人士的�見，讓他們平等地�與和�入社會。

　　在去年的《施政報告》中，行政長官宣布了一系列為少數�裔人士在�入社��教育�就業��利和醫療等方��供的�務和支�。

　　在就業方�，政府鼓勵部門按個別�系的工作需�設計專屬的語文能力測試，為少數�裔申請人�供多一個途徑�到入�的語文能力�求。舉例而言，已有300多�少數�裔申請人在為投考警員而設的中文或英文筆試�得�格�績，讓��背景的人�，例如一些沒有在港應考公開試的少數�裔人士，也有機會加入政府工作。此外，在為��裔學生而設的政府部門實習計劃中，亦加入�場中文基礎培訓，幫助他們�識日常工作應用的中文和�求的中文水平。

　　在促進�入社�方�，《施政報告》�出少數�裔人士支��務中心的數目，將由�時八間增加至�間。新增兩間中心分別設於��中（覆蓋��城�黃大仙）�新界�（覆蓋西貢�將�澳），它們的籌備工作已經展開。

　　《施政報告》亦�出與�政府機構�作，試行為少數�裔人士設立的情緒支��輔導的�務中心，中心亦已於去年年底投入�務，為有需�人士�供更�切�務。而由少數�裔人士組�的「少數�裔關愛隊�亦�計於今年內開始�供�務。

　　推廣種�共�，建構和諧社會，需�整個社會的��和支�。今日，我很高興看見有來自體育界�教育界��業和社�機構的朋�和政府部門的�事到場，以實際行動攜手共建更多元�共�的社會。

     I would now like to repeat what I just said in English.

     Good morning everyone. It is great pleasure to join you all at this Racial Diversity and Inclusion Sports Day organised by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC). This event is part of EOC's efforts to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and celebrate the 15th anniversary of the implementation of the Race Discrimination Ordinance. Today, we gather here to promote racial equality and inclusion through sports and competition under the Olympic motto of Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together. Today is also the opening day of the 9th Hong Kong Games, which makes this event doubly meaningful.

     There are over 300 000 non-ethnic Chinese calling Hong Kong home. They are no doubt an integral part of the Hong Kong family. Working dutifully and diligently across various professions and areas, our non-ethnic Chinese brothers and sisters have made equal contributions for the growth of Hong Kong.

     Since the implementation of the Race Discrimination Ordinance 15 years ago, EOC has been committed to promoting equal opportunities in various aspects of daily life, work and education, etc., for all Hong Kong residents regardless of their race, so that they are free from discrimination, harassment and vilification.

     The Government has always strived to ensure that citizens irrespective of their race have equal access to public services. We are committed to promoting racial integration and building a caring and inclusive society. The Government has been providing additional resources for EOC to establish the Ethnic Minorities Unit since 2015 and to strengthen its relevant work from promotion and education to training and community engagement.

     In last year's Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced a series of services and support for ethnic minorities on various fronts, such as integration into the community, education, employment, welfare, and healthcare.

     In terms of employment, the Government encourages departments to design their own language tests to provide an additional pathway for ethnic-minority applicants to meet the appointment requirements on language proficiency. For instance, more than 300 ethnic-minority applicants have passed the Chinese/English written exam designed for police recruitment. This would allow ethnic minorities who may not have participated in public examinations in Hong Kong to gain the opportunity to join and work for the Government. In addition, the Internship Programme for non-ethnic Chinese students also provides participants with basic workplace Chinese training, to enhance their understanding on the application of Chinese and the required level of Chinese proficiency in daily work.

     As regards measures for promoting community integration in last year's Policy Address, the Government has embarked on the preparatory work for setting up two additional support service centres for ethnic minorities in Kowloon Central and New Territories East. A service centre providing emotional support and counseling services for ethnic minorities has also commenced operation last year while the Ethnic Minority Care Teams are expected to commence service within this year.

     Promoting racial integration and building a harmonious society requires the collaboration and support of the entire community. It is encouraging to see so many representatives from different sectors in today's event, as a pledge of their support for a more diverse and inclusive society. On this promising note, I wish today's event great success.

     Thank you.