3. Civic Education for Civil Society
Last year HKCI continued to organise various kinds of civic education activities and publish teaching kits to support the development of a liberal studies curriculum in local schools.
3.1 Globalisation
3.1.1 Publication of Teaching Kits
“Globalisation for Whom?” Teaching Kit
A teaching kit about globalisation was produced in collaboration with the Hong Kong People’s Alliance on World Trade Organisation (HKPA) and the Justice and Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese (HKJP). The teaching kit covered the following topics: (a) the impact of globalisation and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on peasants, patients, labourers and public services; (b) the influence of globalisation on the economy and distribution of resources; (c) globalisation from the mass media’s perspective; and (d) the response of civil society to globalisation.
3.1.2 Workshop
“Understanding Globalisation”
Apart from publishing the teaching kit, HKCI organised workshops on globalisation. HKCI was invited to present workshops and talks to 20 secondary schools from October 2005 to January 2006. The background of the WTO and its role in world trade were presented to the students to understand. In addition, students were encouraged to explore and examine the impact of globalisation on consumers and producers.
3.1.3 Experiential Learning
“Globalisation for Whom?” - A Camp to Understand Poverty
HKCI and the Alliance on Civil Education (ACE) jointly organised two camps for students to explore the issues of globalisation in December 2005 and August 2006. The focus of the camp at Christmas was the impact of globalisation on different countries in general and Hong Kong in particular. The focus of the camp in the summer was the impact of globalisation on the exploitation of local workers.
“A World without Bystanders” - Social Awareness Project for Youth and Exposure Trip to Bangkok
HKCI’s social awareness project for youth – “A World without Bystanders” - was held from March to August this year. The project included workshops to understand issues involving poverty, a field trip and follow-up activities. There were five workshops for 12 youth participants during which concepts about poverty, equal opportunities and social justice were introduced and examined. These workshops were important to give participants concepts and perspectives about the social issues they would encounter during the course of their exploration.
The focus of the exposure trip was on globalisation and development. The group visited such organisations in Thailand as the Duang Prateep Foundation, the Friends of Women Foundation, ECPAT International and the Assembly of the Poor. After the trip, the youth participants continued to visit local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and take part in workshops. In August, they organised a gathering in Hong Kong to share their achievements and learning from the whole project.
3.2 Issues in China
3.2.1 “Economic Development in China (1)” Teaching Kit
It is commonly agreed that China has experienced rapid economic growth since the open door policy was launched at the end of 1978. However, how many people benefit from it? How many people suffer? These are questions worth deeper thought and examination. In September 2005, HKCI and ACE jointly published the teaching kit Economic Development in China (1), which explores issues concerning the distribution of resources in economic development.
3.2.2 Workshops
“Democratic Movement 1989”
In collaboration with the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China and HKJP, “Democratic Movement 1989” workshops were organised in May and June 2006. The workshops covered a range of topics, such as economic development and human rights, the civil rights of the affected families and patriotism. This year HKCI was invited to present talks on the democratic movement in 1989 at more than 10 schools. For presentations conducted at churches and schools with a Christian background, elements of reflection on one’s Christian faith were added. Moreover, by consolidating our experiences in the past several years, the Democratic Movement 1989 teaching kit was published in Chinese.
3.3 Human Rights Education
3.3.1 Public Education
International Human Rights Day
For various educational activities and in an assortment of teaching kits, human rights is the basic perspective for our analysis of different social issues. Thus, HKCI participated in activities to promote public concern on human rights issues around the world. HKCI also continues to actively take part in events on International Human Rights Day on December 10.
3.3.2 Human Rights Education: Sharing of Teaching Materials
In April 2006, HKCI staff members and members of ACE visited Taiwan to observe human rights education there. In July 2006, ACE published a resource book entitled Human Rights Education: In Response to the Liberal Education Curriculum Reform, which consists of the curriculum and teaching materials of human rights education in Taiwan. A meeting was organised for teachers in Hong Kong to introduce the resource book and to advocate the use of human rights perspectives in liberal studies in school.
Debby Chan Sze-wan
