Thursday, December 30, 2004

International Relief Agencies

There are six major international disaster and relief agencies operating in Hong Kong (see the Mingpao news below). Yesterday my little sister asked me how to choose among the relief agencies, and it's difficult to tell... with due respect to the other four agencies, I recommended UNICEF and MSF at last, mainly because the widespread geographical locations might correspond better for the two agencies. I would probably recommend the other four agencies (all are HK-chapters of int'l agencies) if it is a relief operation in China.

A good friend of mine working for ADRA has been headed to Sri Lanka organising for their relief work there. It's likely that another friend at UNDP is also working on fire to coordinate some sorts of relief work. I wish them all the best...

政府舉辦籌款呼籲踴躍捐款[22:38]
2004/12/30

民政事務總署署長陳甘美華呼籲市民發揮人類互助互愛的崇高精神,踴躍捐款協助南亞地區的地震海嘯災民。

陳甘美華今午在新聞發布會上說,為響應聯合國的呼籲,政府將於本星期六舉行籌款活動。她說,連日來已經接觸過不少熱心市民、社區及慈善團體,甚至政黨成員,他們都表示願意捐款協助。

是項名為「四海同心送關懷」的籌款活動,已定於元旦當日下午三時至五時在香港大球場舉行,由香港電視廣播有限公司負責製作,安排本地歌手演唱募捐。善款將交予紅十字會香港世界宣明會樂施會無國界醫生聯合國兒童基金會救世軍等六個國際救援組織,在受影響地區進行賑災工作。

無線電視翡翠台將直播「四海同心送關懷」節目,市民也可親自到大球場觀賞節目,免費入場,額滿即止。

Donating in 7-Eleven Stores for MSF & HK Red Cross

Subject: 7-Eleven helps Medecins Sans Frontiers & Red Cross to collect tsunami disaster fund

Dear Colleagues,

The South Asia tsunami tragedies took tens of thousands of lives and made millions homeless. Victims are in emergency need of assistance. In immediate response, 7-Eleven Hong Kong has lined up with two international voluntary organizations in collecting disaster relief funds. They are:

Medecins Sans Frontiers
Hong Kong Red Cross

Please visit any of the 610 7-Eleven stores in Hong Kong and make donation in the multiple of HK$10. You will get a receipt immediately and the money will be transmitted to the voluntary organization's relief fund of your choice.

ACT NOW! Please forward this message to your friends, relatives and business associates.

Thank you very much for your contribution,

7-Eleven Hong Kong Management Team


Tsunami Blogs

According to Yahoo...
Blogs from around the world are offering instant witness reports from the region affected by the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that the traditional media cannot match, as well as links to relief groups for readers seeking to provide immediate help.

Blogs became an important means of communication and information following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States. The phenomenon has now reached global proportions with the explosion of Asian blog sites and sites dedicated to the southwest Asian disaster.


www.worldchanging.com
tsunamihelp.blogspot.com
tsunamimissing.blogspot.com
www.sumankumar.com or tsunamihelpindia.blogspot.com
www.command-post.org


Wednesday, December 29, 2004

慈善國宴

慈善國宴是一場誤解?

損款3.8萬可與國家領導人同進餐
慈善國宴人民大會堂舉行

【明報專訊】具官方背景的中國扶貧基金會將於明年2月1日在人民大會堂 國宴大廳首次舉辦慈善晚宴,以門票收入募集資金,並請中共黨和國家領導人出席宴會,為扶貧基金募捐。凡認捐1800元人民幣即可出席晚宴,而捐 38,000元更可與國家領導人同桌進餐。活動籌備辦公室負責人對本報表示,此舉目的是為中國 的慈善活動創造新平台,但與領導人同進餐者須先經資格審查。當局有意今後每年舉辦一次,發展成中國的招牌慈善活動。

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

CCSG e-Newsletter (3rd Issue)

The third issue of our HKU Research Centre's e-newsletter has been released today. Much of the news have already been reported in this blog - actually one of the reasons for me to set up this blog is to facilitate my work to compile the quarterly e-newsletter. But now it has become a very interesting exercise to me...

The latest issue of the e-newsletter (December 2004/January 2005) of the Centre for Civil Society and Governance (CCSG) at HKU has been released: http://web.hku.hk/~ccsg/newsletter/ccsg_issue3.htm
You're welcome to send us your comment at ccsg@hku.hk. Thank you for your attention.

Centre for Civil Society and Governance
website: www.hku.hk/ppaweb/ccsg
email: ccsg@hku.hk

-----------------------------

ABOUT CCSG AND THE NEWSLETTER

The Centre for Civil Society and Governance is a multi-disciplinary research unit established by the Department of Politics and Public Administration under the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong.

The Centre aims to enhance our knowledge of civil society - its nature, constituents, dynamics, roles, and in particular its contributions toward governance, and to foster the development of a vibrant civil society in Hong Kong, mainland China, and other parts of the world. The Centre seeks to do this through research, advocacy, and dissemination.

The CCSG e-Newsletter, first published in June 2004, is a quarterly online news bulletin which serves to provide a platform for allowing interested parties to disseminate news and happenings about civil society development to local NGO practitioners.


香港兒童合唱團成立「藝術基金」

In the past few weeks I have introduced two new charitable funds that support NGO activities (viz. the Digital Solidarity Fund and the HER Fund). Another new $30 million trust fund from the arts sector - the Hong Kong Arts Fund for the Youth (temporary name only) - will be established by the Hongkong Children's Choir using funds from the organisation's own accumulated reserve. As noted by HKCC, it is kind of an unprecedented move by an arts organization (indeed by any NGO in Hong Kong) to deploy its own resources to set up a permanent fund for supporting some general purpose social causes (promoting youth arts in this particular case). The organisation also challenges the property developers bidding for the West Kowloon Cultural Project (see the quotes below) by asking them to set up a $15 billion Arts Endowment for promoting arts in the territory...

It's good to see recently many trust funds are established in Hong Kong, given the fact that we do not have a strong foundation culture, and worse still many existing foundations (individual, family, or corporate) simply do not operate in a very transparent manner and appear not very responsive to community needs. In the past two years, I have been advocating for the establishment of the Hong Kong Community Foundation for serving as an umbrella philanthropic institution that assists individuals and groups in different service fields to establish charitable endowments. While from time to time (usually as the aftermath of some critical social events) there would be individuals and organisations working to set up charitable endowments (just like after the SARS outbreak many funds have been set up), those efforts may not be sustainable. The creation of a community foundation could assist such efforts to produce concerted and lasting impacts in the society. While up to this moment the project is still not a very successful endeavour, I'll continue to promote this concept given the right opportunities...

拋磚引玉成立「藝術基金」

為了貫徹我們的理想,董事局在慶祝建團三十五周年的好時機,通過一個在業餘藝術團體來說實屬破天荒的創舉,就是設立一個「香港青年藝術基金」(暫定名稱),金額初步定為不少於三千萬港元(由本團歷年的儲備中撥出),長遠目標為五千萬港元(規模和現時的「香港賽馬會舞蹈、音樂藝術基金」相若)。基金以每年的利息和收益撥作推廣青年藝術活動,同時會支助有藝術才華和具發展潛力的青年人深造。這計劃待會員大會通過後,即可進行。
挑戰「西九龍」計劃入圍財團

這次「西九龍文娛藝術區」計劃中入圍的三大財團,對推廣藝術都表現出無比的熱情,其中之一更豪氣地說,就算為這計劃補貼一百幾十億都不成問題!以他們的財力 我們相信並非虛言,為了顯示他們對藝術支持的誠意,我們公開呼籲三個入圍財團承諾,任何一個在奪標後先行捐出一百五十億元成立一個「香港文娛藝術發展基金」,讓文化界及專業人士組成獨立委員會為信托人負責管理,這樣香港才真正有希望成為亞洲文化之都!

假如「西九龍文娛藝術區」計劃不幸告吹,亦希望起初有意支持此計劃的財團,合力捐助實現特區政府令香港成為藝術之都的大計!這些香港舉世知名的財團的實力比起「香兒」何只高出千倍萬倍,但我們做得到,你們亦一樣輕而易舉做得到,這樣全港市民就不會再說你們「忽然藝術」了!

Saturday, December 25, 2004

阿麥書房 - 「非牟利機構」專業參考書目

Mackie Study is a very small 2nd floor bookstore at Causeway Bay selling mostly Chinese books (and mostly books imported from Taiwan). I highly recommend book lovers to visit them to pick up a book, enjoy a cup of freshly brewed coffee, or buy a CD of alternative music produced by Hong Kong or Taiwan musicians.

I have also introduced Mackie to my nonprofit friends because of the nonprofit management series that they are selling. Capacity building of NGOs - or nonprofit management - has been a hot topic in Taiwan in recent years and many overseas books on nonprofit management have been translated into Chinese by the Taiwanese. However, few of them are available for sale in Hong Kong. Markie is the authorized sole distributer for a Taiwan publisher whose collections include the nonprofit management series and the creative industries series... A 10% discount is now offered to NGOs purchasing books from the nonprofit management series; check it out to help yourself...

阿麥書房 -「非牟利機構」專業參考書目

非牟利團體訂購優惠 !!!

為了進一步提倡本地優質的非牟利事業管理,「阿麥書房」從大中華出版界找到了台灣的藝術行政專門出版社「五觀藝術管理有限公司」的「非營利事業管理」系列叢書,並獲授權在香港專門銷售他們的所有出版,希望給本地的非牟利機構和行政人員,提供寶貴的參考書籍和實務手冊,協助非牟利事業以強勢主導的管理出?,辦好任重道遠的慈善、教育、社會、環保、文化等非牟利事務。

阿麥書房非常榮幸,獲此機會向香港地區的非牟利機構成員介紹「五觀藝術」整系列優質的中文出版。六年來,「五觀藝術」默默耕耘,將「藝術管理」專業概念廣泛引進華人地區,加上「非營利事業管理」叢書所涵蓋之「第三部門」(Third Sector)管理知識,致使非營利事業的執行和發展得到應有的關注。


Thursday, December 23, 2004

1a Space - Bilateral Cultural Exchange Project

1a space is one of the more active arts organisations promoting visual arts in Hong Kong and this is a upcoming event...
Bilateral Cultural Exchange Project
How To See Woman Art will begin in late-February at Cattle Depot Artist Village. With eight local woman artists, 1a space is continuing its investigation into art and cultural environment in Hong Kong by addressing issues that look at wider concerns of the modern world. Whether or not it is feminine, they are all enjoying their life as an artist at different positions in Hong Kong, One of the exhibitions A Woman/ Traveller is going to explore the journey of being a woman artist. Besides, we are glad to invite Griselda Pollock, Professor of the Social and Critical Histories of Art, University of Leeds, who is interested in art history and feminist studies in the visual arts to give a seminar.
Programme details and seminar booking will be announced soon.

SoCo & KPMG (Part II)

29個寶貝故事盼引起關注

【明報專訊】香港社區組織協會由畢馬威會計師事務所贊助製作的攝影集《貝》,將於下周二在尖沙嘴文化中心舉行攝影展,將部分照片展出,希望呼籲公眾關注這一群活在貧窮線下的兒童。

社協社區組織幹事施麗珊表示,將攝影集命名為《貝》的原因是,任何兒童不論在父母或其他人心目中都是「寶貝」,奈何因為貧窮,有些小孩有不同的命運,他 們要承受貧窮所帶來的不幸,但社會上了解他們苦的人不多,所以便以照片記錄貧童的生活,亦可作為實證向社會人士交代。

她續稱,這一代貧 窮兒童的生活較以前的更艱難,以前是「窮,不緊要,我們有書讀」,但現在的教育動輒也需要金錢及資源配合,有時教師不理解學生的處境,令貧窮學生的學習更 加困難,有時更會打擊他們的自尊。因此在攝影集中,有要求小朋友寫上最欣賞自己的地方,從中可窺見小童的自我形象。

她指,現時政府削減綜援,令貧窮兒童生活難上加難,所以他們唯有尋求其他方法,其中就是向中產人士求助。只要他們出一點力,便可幫助多幾名有需要的兒童。

攝影集內共展示29名貧窮兒童的生活實,由他們如何幫助父母分憂,到拾荒幫補家計,以及蝸居的狹窄生活環境,其中有部分更被至親拋棄,也有未能融入社區的少數族裔兒童。

施麗珊說,攝影集只展露了部分慘,實際上有些更慘的,例如有一名小童為節省金錢,每日都到快餐店取免費茄汁,帶回家撈飯吃,可惜他拒絕上鏡,無法將這慘告訴大家。

SoCo 社區組織協會

KPMG (畢馬威) is my past employer. It's good that they now address poverty issues and partner with SoCo and organize their employees to make home visits to children living in poverty...

中產貧童挽手走出板間房

【明報專訊】香港一般小朋友的聖誕禮物多是玩具、聖誕大餐或是跟父母去旅遊等,但同一天空下的深水,板間房內的小朋友想要的聖誕禮物,卻是一罐奶粉、一包米 或一樽生油,因他們希望減輕家庭負擔。貧窮令小孩子鮮有機會逛商場、看電影、到公園玩耍、食漢堡包薯條……一群會計師事務所職員,每月抽出時間,義務安排 活動給深水的兒童,助他們增廣見聞,多接觸社會。中產與貧童的每月相遇,是政府資源以外的另類資源再分配。

政府正醞釀扶貧政策,行政長官董建華下月中的施政報告亦會作出公布。社區組織協會主任何喜華說,扶貧有很多模式,政府直接資助是方法,而動員社會上的中產,為貧窮階層做點事也可以。社協估計,生活在貧窮線下的兒童達35萬。

每月約會同吃同玩

願 意奉獻公餘時間義助這群小童的,是全球四大會計師行之一畢馬威會計師事務所的職員,他們都對義務工作有興趣,經過公司的問卷調查後,發現大家都樂意幫助新移民小朋友,於是主動聯絡社協。由社協作「紅娘」,為這群中產階層穿針引線,與約400名貧窮兒童聯繫,並促成了「協助貧困兒童全人發展計劃」。

畢馬威會計師事務所合伙人麥嘉軒,是這項計劃的其中一名成員。過去一年半,她與同事多次安排活動,曾帶小朋友遊農莊及海洋公園,也有特意帶他們入東涌逛商場及看電影。這個月,他們便帶約30名小孩到中環,先去食薯條漢堡包,然後到附近玩攤位遊戲。

大讚特別團結懂事

面 對一群與他們良好生活環境截然不同的小朋友,難不倒仍未婚的麥嘉軒,她說﹕「小孩就是小孩,不會因生活的環境而有分別,只是各有各的個性,只要用對待小孩的心態與他們相處便可以。」但她坦言,這群小朋友是特別團結及懂事,令她感受至深的,是一次她到社協的社區學習中心幫一名女孩補習,怎料,女孩突然哭起 來,麥無論怎樣也不能令女孩停止哭泣,其間,另一名小女孩走過來協助安慰。

一個星期日,記者「隨團」到中環遊玩,一名女員工說﹕「每次小朋友都可能因為怕陌生而對你有點抗拒,但一段時間後,他們會主動和你交談,然後無時無刻都用他的小手拖你,還有臨別時的依依不捨,都令你很感動的。」

會計師行職員除了帶小孩外出,亦經常與社協聯絡,跟進小朋友,如在盛夏時贈送涼風機,或為個別小朋友與家庭提供緊急援助等,由細微到買鞋給無鞋穿的小朋友、補習功課,以至協助貧困家庭交租等,他們都會從員工集腋成裘的小基金撥款協助。

聖誕禮物盼要一包米

今個聖誕節,全公司約1000名員工將搖身變成聖誕老人,給400名小孩送上聖誕禮物。但麥嘉軒透露,沒想過部分小朋友的願望會是一罐奶粉、一包米或一樽生油,其實這都反映他們希望減輕家庭負擔的心意。所以,負責的員工都會暗中加送禮物,給他們驚喜。

他們經過一年半與貧窮小朋友相處,感慨良多,公司亦贊助製作攝影集《貝》,希望記錄貧窮兒童的生活,帶動多些人參與扶貧工作。

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Playright Play Day

The Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct in the heart of bustling Central was transformed into a festive fun-filled playground on 12 December 2004, as the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs (HKICPA) and Playright Children's Play Association (Playright) co-organised the PlayStreet∞2004. The event was a great success in bringing lots of fun and laughter to thousands of families and raising funds for the HKICPA Charitable Fund and Playright.

Watch out for it - Cable TV Children's Channel has captured footage of PlayStreet in its Children's programme, "IQ雙拼", on Friday, 24 December 2004 at 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Click here to visit the photo gallery and press release of the event.

Monday, December 20, 2004

HER Fund 婦女動力基金

The HER Fund was established on 8 March 2004 (i.e. the last women's day) with an aim to undertake collective fundraising for supporting the development of women services in Hong Kong. The Fund is now calling for submission of funding applications for the year 2005, with application deadline set on February 7, 2005. Priority areas of concern include economic justice, political participation, gender-based violence, health, and sexual and reproductive rights. Current grantees of the Fund include Action for REACH OUT, The Association for the Advancement of Feminism, Gutsy Women, Hong Kong Women Workers' Association, and Lady MacLehose Centre.

香港愛滋病基金會 傑出義工

Outstanding volunteers from the Hong Kong AIDS Foundation...

抗愛滋無尷尬
傑出女義工大派安全套

【明報專訊】由尷尬忐忑到勇敢面對,3名女子為推廣預防愛滋病,放下傳統婦女的保守觀念——在落馬洲關口向北上的陌生男士大派安全套、在中小學大談性知識,更有人在去年SARS高峰期,為怕在一夜情後染上愛滋病的青少年抽血。她們憑勇敢及堅持,獲得香港愛滋病基金會頒發傑出義工獎。

45歲的得 獎者余仲英是家庭主婦,她與同為義工的丈夫齊齊拍檔,在落馬洲、澳門向外遊的男士派發免費安全套。余坦言,最初向陌生男士派安全套感到極尷尬,連說話也是 「細細聲」,又試過有男人前來「搶套」或一次索取4個套,但思前想後,她認定「派套」是正確的,於是堅持至今。

另一得獎者冼賜梅任職護士8年,即使在去年SARS的高峰期,她仍不怕風險,堅持當義工幫助懷疑愛滋病者抽血,見盡不少「一夜情」後忐忑不安的十六七歲青少年。

另一得獎人林玉珍僅24歲,任職護士半年,但她已有4年義工經驗,曾在中、小學講座大談預防愛滋病的知識,縱使部分學生不太接受,但她仍努力解釋。

有份督導眾得獎義工的高級資訊主任蔡頌文說,持續推行講座很重要。她憶述一次在小學談到懷孕母親感染愛滋病時,竟有8歲小童舉手建議不如「落佢(墮胎)」,反映歧視愛滋病的思想根深柢固,故學校的愛滋病教育非常重要。

Saturday, December 18, 2004

愛護動物協會否認糊塗帳

A potential scandel (at least bad publicity) of a prominent nonprofit...
愛護動物協會否認糊塗帳

主動邀廉署助檢討

【明報專訊】本港有逾80年歷史、去年獲公帑及捐款數百萬元的愛護動物協會(下稱協會),最近鬧出帳目不清的風波。有協會會員質疑,會內財務混亂,管理失當, 並於前晚舉行的周年大會中提出質詢,與執行委員會擦出激烈火花。愛護動物協會昨日發出聲明,否認帳目不正常,但將邀請廉政公署私營機構顧問組,協助該會進 行檢討及匯報。

「給動物福利變給人福利」

該會的財務報告資料顯示,協會於2001至2003年,分別虧蝕348萬、245萬及370萬元,今年卻轉虧為盈,淨盈餘高達210萬元。一名參加協會逾10年但不願透露姓名的會員說,財政獲改善固然高興,但他不禁懷疑過去數年協會出現嚴重虧蝕的背後原因。

報告顯示,協會今年收入與去年相若為4700萬,但支出則由去年的5072萬元,減少約一成即600萬,其中僱員支出相距最大,約減少230萬元。該會員憤怒地表示,「給動物的福利,變成給人的福利﹗」

不過,轉虧為盈的「幕後功臣」、協會執行總監戴寶蓮今年10月起開始申請病假,至今仍未復工,遂會內有傳言指,她在整飭協會財務及進行財務調查時與執行委員 會人士發生衝突。自稱是戴寶蓮的朋友PhilCurlewis說,他曾義務到協會進行初部調查,從部分文件及職員訪談中,懷疑多項帳目及程序有問題,包括 聘用價格較高的物料供應商、動物藥物採購與存貨數目不符等。他本欲進一步邀請執行委員會提供資料時,遭拒絕,他說﹕「究竟他們是不想知﹖還是不想別人知﹖ 他們的反應引起我懷疑。」

藉此加強公眾信心

協會公關及傳訊經理顏綺苓承認,戴寶蓮至今仍在病假,但協會財務報告經由核數 師審核,並已在周年大會上獲會員一致通過。今年協會轉虧為盈,主要因為今年籌錢多,支出少。顏又指,邀請廉政公署介入,一方面是應部分會員在周年大會提出 的要求,同時希望藉此加強公眾信心。截稿前仍未找到戴寶蓮作回應。

Friday, December 17, 2004

Stanford Social Innovation Review - Call for Submissions

The Stanford Social Innovation Review is a new journal that publishes research and practice-based articles on nonprofit management, philanthropy, and corporate social responsibility. Our mission is to encourage an exchange of ideas between the nonprofit, public, and private sectors that fosters innovative solutions to social problems.

I also want to encourage you to consider submitting a paper to the Review. We welcome submissions that make strong connections between theory, research, and practice and that take an interdisciplinary perspective. We are especially interested in grounded articles that approach important issues in new ways.

Past contributors have included:
* Mayer Zald on why foundations should support social movements
* David P. Baron on strategies for activists and companies when they go head to head in a boycott.
* Robert Cialdini on putting the power of influence to work in nonprofit fundraising.
* James Austin on nonprofit and corporate strategic alliances.
* Mark Chaves on debunking the myths about faith-based organizations.

We are seeking both original and adapted articles (i.e., book excerpts, synopses, or adaptations of articles published elsewhere). Our editors will work with authors to craft a paper that conveys the authors' message as they understand it and that will also be interesting and accessible to the high level nonprofit executives. Please email your paper to editor@ssireview.com. Deadlines are rolling.

樂施電子報 Oxfam e-News



Check out the December 2004 issue of the Oxfam e-News here. You can also send a e-X'mas card (and make a donation to help the poor)...

最新活動
樂施會電子賀卡傳心意

聖誕節快到了!想和偏遠地區的貧窮人一同分享聖誕佳節的喜悅,只要捐款港幣20元,就可以在任何一張樂施會賀卡上,加上您的個人祝福字句,寄給本港或遠方的親友。你的小小幫忙,可以為更多貧窮人的生活帶來大大的改善。請即登入樂施會的網站,為親友送上一份扶貧心意!

網上教育籌款平台

An interesting development and a new kind of organized philanthropy that is very different from the conventional model of federated fundraising. Should the other nonprofit fields also consider developing similar federated fundraising campaigns? In the States, United Way is not the only federated fundraisers. Many other federated campaigns such as the Combined Federal Campaign are in existense to support other specific community causes such as women's services, green groups etc...

網上平台助中小學幼園籌款

【明報專訊】為協助中、小學建立籌款文化推動教育計劃,美林(亞太)有限公司擬於 明年3月建立一個網上籌款平台,讓全港中、小學和幼稚園在網上公開籌款。由學校於平台發放募捐教育計劃,捐款人可選擇有興趣的項目「配對」認捐,由社會大 眾贊助學校推行教育活動。多個議會代表歡迎有關計劃。

3月開始學校上載計劃書

教育統籌局與美林(亞太)有限公司代表及多 個學校議會日前召開會議,討論設立網上籌款平台的計劃。據悉,建構中的網上平台注入股票市場的「集資」概念,為提升學校籌款的透明度和靈活性。有意募捐的 學校因應各自需要,上載籌款計劃書及介紹籌款項目,捐款人閱覽計劃書後可直接向學校認捐。籌款平台作為籌款學校和捐款者的中介角色,能發揮市場力量,更有效地分配社會資源。

據與會者透露,已有機構願意捐款鼓勵學校發展籌款文化,向上載最多計劃書和籌款成功率高的學校發放額外捐款,目前已有兩間本地機構表示願意捐款。據悉,明年3月將邀請首批24所學校參與先導計劃,每校發布兩項計劃,共48項計劃供市民認捐。

集腋成裘推動學校活動

津貼中學議會主席儲富有歡迎有關建議,學校現時沒有渠道公開籌款,透過網上平台,可讓有興趣贊助學校活動的市民捐款,學校活動亦可得到支持。他說﹕「雖然市民捐款未必多,但可集腋成裘。」不過,他亦擔心平台上太多教育項目無人認捐,猶如「孤兒仔」無人認領。

東區小學校長召集人馮家正指出,部分學校的學生家庭社經地位低,難以籌募經費,平台可協助該類學校籌款,推動教育活動。他又稱,申請優質教育基金撥款舉辦活動,會增加工作量亦未必獲批,期望捐款平台可彌補不足。

資助小學校長會林湘雲認為,捐款平台應供全港中、小學、幼稚園及特殊學校參加,避免出現不公平﹔他建議由教統局中央監察捐款的運用,避免平台被濫用。他亦擔心公眾向中、小學捐款的文化未建立,籌款成效未必顯著。

Thursday, December 16, 2004

救世軍回收舊電腦計劃

救世軍助窮戶打開資訊之窗

翻新舊電腦捐弱勢社群

【明報專訊】今時今日,互聯網已成為我們生活的一部分,不過,香港卻有逾 六成貧窮家庭,就連數百元的二手電腦也負擔不起,更遑論上網服務的費用。為令弱勢社群能擁有自己的電腦,得以開啟一扇通往世界資訊的窗,救世軍一班職員發 起回收舊電腦計劃,翻新、復修後送給有需要的人,並深深感受到「助人為快樂之本」這句說話的真諦。

「我們的計劃自10月開始接受申請,一個月內已收到近400張申請表,反映社會上其實有很多人都很需要電腦,但卻沒有錢買。」救世軍港澳軍區教育及就業服務主任張華新告訴記者,申請人不只是年輕人,還有不少失業的中年人和老人。

負責維修及翻新電腦的資訊科技助理Matthew,工作間擺滿一部部待修的電腦,他憶述自己將電腦送往一些貧窮家庭時,有受惠者向他表示「等了很久」,更有智障人士非常用心地學用。看見自己的努力能幫助有需要的人,他覺得很開心和有滿足感。

為貧困人士爭取上網優惠

他說,在送電腦期間,不少家庭向他們表示負擔不起上網費用,因此他有一個心願,希望爭取互聯網供應商支持,優惠貧困人士,讓他們得以接觸世界。

另一位資訊科技助理阿強,對長者接收電腦時的印象分外深刻,「有些老人家很想學上網,希望透過電郵跟身在外地的子女聯絡。看到他們那麼用心,自己既開心又感動」。

發信300公司回收千部電腦

該 項計劃於今年4月獲得利希慎基金和香港工商及科技局資助60萬元,救世軍之後向近300間大公司發信,要求捐出舊電腦,反應踴躍,其中包括匯豐銀行、東方 海外、九廣鐵路、香港大學、國泰航空及多個政府部門,現時已回收近1000部電腦,工作人員及義工早前已先後將100部電腦送出。

看工作間內堆積如山的電腦,Matthew和阿強表示會盡最大努力,盡快完成維修及翻新,令更多人受惠。

數碼共融基金供團體申請

Announcing the establishment of the Digital Solidarity Fund [news from today's Mingpao] (see earlier post here)

數碼共融基金供團體申請

【明報專訊】香港社會服務聯會獲得政府及商界共165萬元的捐款支持,昨日宣布成立「數碼共融基金」,供志願團體申請,協助弱勢社群獲得電腦軟硬件,令他們趕上瞬息萬變的社會發展。

基金主要資助以下三類計劃﹕

●為弱勢社群提供接觸資訊科技的設施,如回收舊電腦贈予低收入家庭及改進軟件功能

●提升弱勢社群的資訊科技知識,如提供訓練課程

●助弱勢社群融入資訊社會,如提倡網頁無障礙設計

基金每年將有兩次公開接受申請,而每項計劃最高可獲20萬元資助,至於計劃的受益人可包括長者、傷殘人士、單親家庭、低收入家庭、新移民及婦女等。

Institute for Volunteering Research (UK)

Some of those on the list might be interested in a new publication by the Institute for Volunteering Research (IVR), the 'Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit.'

The toolkit has been written to help organisations to understand how they can undertake their own research to demonstrate the impact made by volunteers to:

  • The volunteer themselves
  • The organisation involving the volunteers
  • The service users
  • The wider community
The toolkit comprises of a 130 page book and a CD ROM of materials which users can adapt.

To order copies of the Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit priced at GB POUNDS 35 or GB POUNDS 30 to members of Volunteering England Telephone +44(0)845 305 6979 or visit www.ivr.org.uk to order online.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Medecins Sans Frontieres Hong Kong

An MSF-HK event...
On behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières Hong Kong (MSF-HK), I would like to invite you to join us in a luncheon, with Dr. Rowan Gillies, President of the International Council of MSF, as the key speaker on 21 December 2004 (Tuesday).

The year 2004 is a gloomy and exceptional year for humanitarian work. As an international medical humanitarian organization, MSF was forced to withdraw from Afghanistan and Iraq after many years of work.

Dr. Rowan Gillies will have a two-day visit to Hong Kong this month. He has undertaken MSF missions to Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Liberia. He also visited Darfur, Sudan during the summer of 2004. We are glad to have him to share about humanitarian work in today's world, especially in the age of the "War on Terror".

Sunday, December 12, 2004

澳門公益金

I never know there's a Community Chest in Macau until today. Seven million is a huge sum of donation raised for a walkathron...

澳門公益金善款創新高[15:01]

明報即時新聞網 2004/12/12

澳門約3萬人參加公益金百萬行,今年贊助的善款創歷史新高,已達700多萬元。

步行隊伍由一條長達60多米的金龍和八頭醒獅引領,沿孫逸仙大馬路經南灣湖廣場緩步行至終點媽閣廟前地,全程約3公里,沿途有體育會舞獅助興。

公益基金會表示,今年澳門經濟環境轉好,令贊助的善款創歷史新高。

The Oceana Network

This nonprofit blog of Oceana was mentioned in the "Should your nonprofit launch a blog?" article.
The Oceana Network is a global online community of individuals who care passionately about protecting the world's oceans. It's a place to get the latest news, join stimulating discussions, and find ways you can take action and make a difference.

In the past year we talked a lot about knowledge sharing and knowledge management, and setting up a special interest blog would be a great step towards achieving this ends - e.g. can a joint environmental protection blog be created so that all green groups in Hong Kong could report their good works in a single location? The same applies to other service fields.

The biggest obstacle is perhaps the unwillingness of local nonprofit practitioners to cooperate with one another to contribute to such "common cause"...

Saturday, December 11, 2004

Should Your Nonprofit Launch a Blog?

Came across this article on the internet from the webpage of a U.S. communications and media consulting firm serving nonprofits...
Should Your Nonprofit Launch a Blog?
(see full article)


The author also publishes a monthly e-newsletter on nonprofit communications...

About the Author
Nancy E. Schwartz is editor and publisher of Getting Attention, the monthly e-newsletter that helps nonprofits succeed through effective communications. To subscribe to Getting Attention, click here.



"Social Sector Policy" Online Event

Another online event organized by Social Edge. Though the discussion would be centred around developments in the US, useful lessons could still be learnt...
Social Edge and Policy Development Launch "Social Sector Policy" Online Event on 13 December.

The current Congressional Hearing on Charity Oversight and Reform presents an historic opportunity to help shape the non-profit sector. But thus far, the Hearing has been driven by several recent scandals, legal loopholes, and a discussion of technical fixes. While we acknowledge the need to constantly increase vigilance, the more fundamental issues are not being addressed.

The objective of this unique one-week online event is to start a national conversation about how public policy can evolve to support a vibrant, sophisticated, and innovative social sector, and to identify some of the current systemic obstacles that innovators face. It will begin with the question: "What is 'the non-profit sector' today, and how well do policy and regulatory regimes reflect that reality?"

The discussion will be kicked off by several prominent and thoughtful non-profit sector leaders, including Stan Katz, Jed Emerson, Mike Burns and others, and everyone is encouraged to participate! "Social Sector Policy", part of the Thought Leaders on The Edge series, runs from 13 to 20 December.

Friday, December 10, 2004

China Charity Federation (Part II)

In the last post I noted that China Charity Federation is a non-state agency but has close ties with the Government. In fact most of the staff members of CCF are retirees from the Ministry of Civil Affairs (and some early retirees owing to government downsizing). This past news item (2002-01-30) reported that the present President of CCF, 范宝俊会长, (newly elected at that time) was previously the Deputy Minister for Civil Affairs of the Chinese Government. Also, the Founding President of CCF, 阎明复前会长, also served the post of Deputy Minister for Civil Affairs before he retired from the Ministry. I had a chance to meet with President Yan a few years ago while visiting CCF at Beijing; the visit was a very memorable one for me...

全国政协常委范宝俊当选中华慈善总会会长

新华网 (2002-01-30 20:25:54)
稿件来源:新华社电稿

  新华网北京1月30日电(记者 吴晶 肖岩冰)中华慈善总会今天在京举行第二次会员代表大会,全国政协常委、原民政部副部长范宝俊当选新任会长。

  与此同时,慈善总会今天正式启动“慈善一元捐行动”,旨在最大限度地激发每个人的慈善之情,弘扬“不以善小而不为”的慈善理念,使每个人的爱心得以实现。

  中国全国人大常委会副委员长何鲁丽、许嘉璐,以及会员代表和各界人士共300多人出席了会议。国务委员司马义·艾买提向大会发来了贺信。

   现年62岁的范宝俊在大会上列举了慈善总会今后的工作重点:加强宣传,提高公众对慈善事业的认知和了解,并由此树立起整个社会的慈善意识;强化慈善机构 的自身建设,最大限度地提升组织的公信度;完善内部机构设置,重视慈善队伍的建设,加强财务管理和项目管理;适应市场经济,强化慈善资源的动员能力;重视 慈善理论与实践研究,努力推动慈善法规、政策的完善;进一步加强国际交流与合作。

  前任会长阎明复在第一届理事会工作报告中说,慈善总会成立7年多来,共筹款物9.8亿元,其中,国外和港台捐赠1.9亿元;国内企业团体捐赠数额占85%,个人捐赠占15%。中华慈善总会在近年来大力开展 救灾、赈灾工作,并逐步开展了33个慈善救助项目,包括微笑列车工程、雨水集蓄工程、慈爱孤儿工程和烛光工程。

  目前,中华慈善总会已建立起地方慈善网络,志愿者队伍迅速扩大,受助者数以千万人计。

  大会授予阎明复荣誉会长称号,还聘请王光英、程思远、何鲁丽、万国权等担任名誉会长。(完)

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

China Charity Federation 中華慈善總會

China Charity Federation is the most prominent federated fundraising organisation in China which is a non-state charitable organisation but has close ties with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. It has established local chapters all around China...

國內善款七成捐自境外 內地稅制未鼓勵捐贈

【明報專訊】中國最大慈善組織──中華慈善總會的統計顯示,在該會收到的慈善捐贈中,70%來自國外和港台地區,內地的捐款不足15%。內地的免稅政策及對一般人對慈善機構的不信任等,影響了內地人參與慈善事業的熱情。

調查顯示,內地富豪極少通過捐錢回報社會。中華慈善總會會長范寶俊在中央電視台節目《新聞會客廳》中談到,目前內地的免稅政策、優惠政策等問題都還限制了內地富人參與慈善事業的熱情,政策需要改善。另外,他估計今後推出遺產稅會令捐贈增加。

范 寶俊表示,對慈善機構的不信任也是目前內地絕大多數富人不願意捐錢的重要原因。在中華慈善總會,一筆善款從捐出到送達救助者手中的過程包括﹕捐贈人填寫 捐贈書,寫明意向和具體用途﹔然後捐贈人與總會簽訂協議,協議除了包括捐贈書的內容外,還須寫明總會如何使用這筆捐贈﹔之後總會按協議執行,執行結束後再 檢查和驗收有關項目,驗收合格後發給捐贈人驗收報告。

Study on Nonprofit Board Recruitment

Nonprofit boards rely on member referrals for recruiting, study shows...
Old-board network
Philanthropy Journal, 11.29.2004 -

Three in four nonprofits have a business or strategic plan and, for most of those groups, that plan drives their board recruitment, a new study shows.

Bridgestar, a consulting firm that aims to help nonprofits strengthen their leadership, conducted a survey of nonprofit board members and executive directors to better understand board recruiting.

Among groups that tie recruiting to their business plan, the survey says, more than nine in 10 say they recruit new board members by tapping personal networks, and over half believe this method is the most effective.

At a time when nonprofits are under increasing regulatory scrutiny because of highly publicized management and financial scandals, Bridgestar questions whether the network approach to board recruiting is adequate to "ensure that our sector remains healthy, productive and well regarded."

Nonprofits "need deeper and broader expertise to address key strategic and operational challenges facing their organization, and better ways to interpret and communicate about their performance," Bridgestar says.

Nearly half the groups surveyed lost board members in the last two years, with resignations leading term expiration slightly as the reason for the departures.

When recruiting new board members, fundraising skills are in highest demand, followed by expertise in program and financial oversight.

Of those surveyed, about seven in 10 executive directors and board members believe their boards are appropriately diverse, and six in 10 believe their boards do their jobs well.

Monday, December 06, 2004

Dr Lo on State-Society Linking Arrangements

Dr Sonny Lo, who left HKU for an opening in Waterloo University earlier this year, is still very active in writing newspaper articles commenting on public affairs in Hong Kong. The following point he raised in today's Ming Pao article concerning the Government's lack of intermediary organisational vehicles to link up with civil society organisations resonates the main theme of my own research inquiry, i.e. to make sense of the Government's use of various linking arrangements to engage with not-for-profit voluntary organisations in different policy domains in Hong Kong...
最後,過去數年來的公民社會團體不斷湧現和挑戰政府,可是政府卻沒有中介組織有效地吸納這些團體。

各諮詢委員會的重組和改革似乎進展極緩慢,不能有效吸納社會各種異見。而殖民地時代在吸納政治起重要角色的民政事務專員地位大不如前,民政總署也未能駕馭各種公民社會力量。除非政治改革包括大幅度重組諮詢委員會,隸屬各決策部門及局長,否則社會力量難以有效吸納。

The full Ming Pao article is reproduced below...

盧兆興﹕管治危機禍延第三屆政府
2004年12月6日 星期一 論壇

作者為香港大學政治及公共行政學系副教授

最近港府面臨不少政治挑戰,計有高等法院對公務員減薪的裁決、保育政策受鄉議局反對、西九龍招標諮詢掀起爭論、市民不滿法庭對公屋租金裁決而打算繼續上訴, 以及紅灣半島拆卸一事與地產商意見衝突。雖然特區政府危機再現,但看來危機的規模比23條立法之爭論為少,將不會構成嚴重政治後果。

今次的管治危機有四大因素。

首先,第一屆特區政府之急進政策動搖了管治基礎,其影響延續至第二屆特區政府,而公眾對《基本法》怎樣演繹政策的看法與政府往往有衝突。結果,法庭便要仲裁爭議性大的公共政策。

第一屆特區政府的公務員改革早已孕育不少公務員不滿情緒,到前財政司長梁錦松決定削減公務員薪津時,部分公務員唯有用法律途徑捍衛本身利益。同樣,政府與公 屋居民對於公屋租金一事亦有不同演繹。治本之法其實是每個決策部門應成立小組,研究各政策之漏洞,嘗試修改法例來早點解決問題。

其次,特區政府制定和推行政策過程中的政治考慮不夠周詳及敏感。

例如保育政策似乎未有向鄉事派解釋清楚便動員局長出馬,結果弄至氣氛更僵。西九龍招標諮詢時間太遲,弄至部分商界人士不滿,也令社會對單一招標有異議。治本 之法乃各決策官員,特別是政務官階層,必須接受政治訓練。過去的決策官員大多數在公共行政方面訓練充足,但卻忽略政策制定及推行過程的種種政治考慮。以紅 灣半島為例,停售居屋時根本不需要讓地產商補地價來買斷業權,因為說不定5至10年後居屋市場重現。很明顯,決策官員政治觸覺低。

第三,特區政府過去數年的權威大為削弱。

雖然政府在23條立法擱置後的民望有改善,但過去的政治衝擊太大,不少市民仍對政府缺乏信心。治本之法是政府高層人士作大調動。可是,由於短期內人事調動可 能性低,只能寄望第三屆特區高層有煥然一新的局面。此外,盡快把政治體制稍為民主化可以疏導市民的不滿,但民主化的方案暫仍有待公布,拖延了解決管治問題 的時間。

最後,過去數年來的公民社會團體不斷湧現和挑戰政府,可是政府卻沒有中介組織有效地吸納這些團體。

各諮詢委員會的重組和改革似乎進展極緩慢,不能有效吸納社會各種異見。而殖民地時代在吸納政治起重要角色的民政事務專員地位大不如前,民政總署也未能駕馭各種公民社會力量。除非政治改革包括大幅度重組諮詢委員會,隸屬各決策部門及局長,否則社會力量難以有效吸納。

總括來說特區管治危機的湧現源於公共政策有漏洞和《基本法》的演繹問題、政策制定和推行政治觸覺不足、政府權威因過往失誤而大為削弱及政治體制失衡而不能有效吸納各種社會力量。假如特區政府不能對症下藥,轉危為機的時間將拖延至第三屆特區政府之始。

Greenpeace in China

綠色和平促京勿急推基因米 批評決策欠透明

【明報專訊】正當北京準備就轉基因(基因改造)水稻是否可以商業化種植拍板之際,環保團體綠色和平(中國)在京發表分析報告稱,證據顯示基因水稻對健康存在風險,匆忙推出市場是極不負責任的,他們呼籲北京當局慎重其事,並要求這項重大決策的過程要公開透明。

國家農業部近日在京召開「農業轉基因生物安全委員會」會議,討論基因水稻的商業化種植。如果與會專家同意將基因水稻推出市場,當局很可能發出安全證明,將基因水稻推向市場,中國將成為世界第一個種植基因水稻的國家。

稱對健康環境存風險

綠色和平中國辦事處日前在京召開記者會並發表「中國轉基因水稻對健康和環境的風險」的報告。綠色和平專案經理施鵬翔指出,大量科學證據顯示,基因水稻無論對健康或環境都存在風險,匆匆推出市場是極不負責任的做法。

施鵬翔還指出,中國當局很多資料不公開,安全測試和環境影響評估也保密,參加安全委員會的50名專家中,差不多三分二是從事生物技術研究的,來自環保部門只有一名代表,從事食品安全研究的只有兩名專家,「將中國口糧的未來交由他們決定,令人難以放心」。

中科院院士、華中農業大學作物遺傳改良國家重點研究室主任張啟發一直強調,基因農作物在全球大面積種植已有9年,食用基因食品人群超過10億,至今未見不安全的任何證據,因此,基因作物是安全的。

明報駐京記者陳永階報道

Sunday, December 05, 2004

Digital Solidarity Fund 數碼共融基金

二零零三年十一月十日,社聯在立法會資訊科技及廣播事務委員會建議成立數碼共融基金。基金捐款來自政府及私人界別,支援非政府機構籌辦活動。

Extracts of information about the Digital Solidarity Fund...

II. 數碼共融基金目的

1. 廣拓基金來源,資助香港數碼共融活動。
2. 聯繫不同界別人士,共同制定及推行數碼共融策略。

III. 基金資助活動範圍

基金會資助以下的活動計劃:
1. 為弱勢社群提供接觸資訊科技的基建設施。(例子:回收舊電腦贈與低收入家庭;改進軟硬件功能令有特別需要人士可接觸互聯網)
2. 提升弱勢社群的資訊科技知識(例子:為有需要人士提供意識提升活動及訓練課程)
3. 將弱勢社群融入資訊社會(例子:提倡網頁無障礙設計,為特別有需要人士設立網上平台)

IV. 申請資格

不同界別的機構,若有志於縮減數碼鴻溝的工作,皆可申請基金撥款。符合申請資格的機構可以是:
1. 非政府機構;
2. 福利機構;
3. 慈善團體;
4. 專業或資訊科技組織;
5. 其他

V. 誰是資訊科技弱勢社群

數碼共融基金對於資訊科技弱勢社群採取較廣義的定義。基金所支助的活動,其受益人可屬於以下其中一項類別:
1. 長者人士;
2. 傷殘人士;
3. 單親家庭;
4. 低收入家庭;
5. 新來港人士;
6. 婦女。

Saturday, December 04, 2004

The Hong Kong Breast feeding Mothers' Association

推廣母乳協會財政告急籌款

【明報專訊】近年經濟不景,非但令公、私營機構掀起一浪接一浪的瘦身潮,不少志願與受助機構更因經費貧乏,需要停止部分服務、甚至面臨「倒閉」。過去9年來一向默默肩負提倡餵哺母乳的香港母乳育嬰協會現正「告急」,呼籲各界資助,讓他們可繼續鼓勵與支援母乳育嬰。

協 會主席華陳正容表示,該會9年來一直堅持推廣母乳餵哺,以去年為例,協會的24小時熱線便接獲約5000個求助電話,為兩成多授乳媽媽提供如何餵哺母乳的 支援,並定期舉辦免費講座、醫院探訪及向各公共與私家醫院派發季刊等,但經費貧乏卻令協會面臨「倒閉」,令她十分心痛。

她希望透過本月19日在香港公園舉行的「母乳餵哺心《定向》健康人生」籌款活動,能夠籌得20萬元,以應付未來1年的經費,否則過年後便要「摺埋」。


Friday, December 03, 2004

拒絕接受紅灣「捐獻」

I don't agree with Tik's argument. Has he consulted the views of his elderly residents? It's not about「骨氣」, but a strict moral issue... you just can't make the claim that such an ugly act is doing good to the elderly. Surely not for me if I were a elderly resident at SAGE's homes.「我們是被動的...」 What does that mean??

社工總會籲同工拒受紅灣「捐獻」

【明報專訊】紅灣拆卸餘波未了,近日更延伸至社福界,對於紅灣發展商表示拆樓後的可再用物件,如冷氣機或浴缸等,會送給慈善機構,香港社工總工會昨發表聲明, 呼籲同工要「有骨氣」,拒絕接受紅灣半島的「任何捐獻」。但據了解,不少福利機構已回應發展商的邀請,當中包括有23個老人中心及院舍的耆康會。

耆康會申請數十部冷氣機

耆康會總監狄志遠對本報承認,該會已回覆發展商的邀請,申請數十部由紅灣半島拆卸出來的冷氣機,安裝在該會的老人院。狄志遠說,現有約有4間老人院,是完全沒有冷氣設備或冷氣機已殘舊,需要翻新,因此早前收到發展商的通知,表示可將拆卸冷氣機送出,因此作出申請。

對 於有團體呼籲福利機構要「有骨氣」,狄志遠說﹕「我們是被動的,我們的立場很簡單,就是希望改善老人福利,若對方已決定拆樓,物件亦不應浪費。」狄強調, 接收發展商的冷氣機,不等於支持他們拆樓。香港社會工作者總工會昨發表聲明,認為接收紅灣設施形同替發展商「站台」,現時社福界雖面對削資,但仍要「做個 有骨氣的社工」,否則等於認同拆樓。


CALL for PAPERS

CULTURAL CHANGE, SOCIAL PROBLEMS, AND KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

SYMPOSIUM on SOCIOLOGY MARCH, 7-9

All academic activities will be celebrated at Zaragoza University, Paraninfo Building (Zaragoza City) and some Working Groups of the Symposium at the Economics Faculty.

THEME

Talking and writing about globalization and information society, or more recently knowledge society, is so widespread that it already risks to become a repetition and platitude. And yet, a closer look, scientific and interdisciplinary, reveals that behind surface phenomena like economic globalization and the Internet there is a deep-rooted change and upheaval of world society as well as individual everyday life. This upheaval is comparable in scope and consequences to what was called the Industrial Revolution in previous centuries. The Information Revolution is, for sure, based on new technologies, i.e. information technologies (IT), just like the Industrial Revolution was based on new technologies. But the changes brought forth are also in this case far-reaching cultural shifts and innovations for which the concepts of digital towns, digital divides, Internet and cyberspace are just first glimpses at a future still in the dark. These shifts entail new kinds of social problems with new qualities and hitherto unknown scopes. Under such a perspective this conference brings together a number of distinguished scientists of the International Sociological Association, ISA, representing a wide range of social science specialties with whom to discuss the implications of cultural change and the social problems inherent in contemporary and future knowledge society.

The conference aims to clarify conceptual tools which contemporary sociology and social sciences might be able to provide in order to deal with these issues both at a theoretical and methodological level. It intends to explore, to the extent possible within a few short days of debate, how these could be applied for pertinent research as well as for developing means and strategies to cope with the social problems analyze.

This will be done in plenary sessions starting out with the issue of social diagnosis for a single world and dealing in the following with the issues of cultural change, new social problems in moving societies, the digital world and cyberspace, and finally the issue of building societies able to cope with the changing world and its changing culture, and the challenges this poses for the social sciences. The plenary sessions will be complemented by working group sessions. This will permit to go into more detail and in particular to discuss these issues in more depth.


Thursday, December 02, 2004

December Issue of Alliance

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

December 2004 issue of Alliance published - Getting global giving going

The December 2004 issue of Alliance, with a special feature on getting global giving going, has just been published. Articles republished on the website include:

**Manuel Arango on how he came to found the Mexican Center for Philanthropy

**Adele Simmons and Dan Nielsen with an overview of the global philanthropy infrastructure

Go there now...


Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation

Another charity event jointly organised by an NGO and a business partner. Given the Government also has ownership over Cyberport, would this be a case of "tri-partite partnership"?
Dear Sir,

You and your colleagues/friends are cordially invited to participate in the CyberRun for Rehab – Healthy Steps in Cyberport 健康萬步數碼港" jointly organized by The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation (HKSR) and Cyberport Tenants Club (CTC) to be held on 12 December 2004 (Sunday) at Cyberport.

CyberRun for Rehab aims to raise funds to support HKSR and heighten the awareness of the general public the importance of leading a healthy life with proper exercise. We estimate that at least 500 runners and 1,200 walkers will participate in this event.

Please circulate this invitation to your related parties. Further details can be checked from :
http://www.rehabsociety.org.hk
http://www.cyberport.com.hk

Or download the registration form at
http://ited.hkuspace.hku.hk/cyberrun/index.html

Thank you very much and look forward to seeing you and your teams on 12 December 2004.

Yours sincerely,
CyberRun for Rehab Organization Committee