Mr. Li Ka-shing, a strong supporter of life-long education, believes that learning from experience is just as important as learning from books. With the support of the Education Department, the Li Ka-shing Foundation has donated HK$7 million to sponsor a Millennium Study Tour for 1,000 local students this summer. The senior secondary students will travel in small groups to the mainland, Southeast Asia, Europe, America, and Australia to experience different cultures and customs. The Tours will focus on environmental protection and new technologies, and every itinerary will be carefully planned to create a meaningful summer activity for the students.
According to a LKS Foundation Spokesman, “The Millennium Study Tour was designed to reward local students who have an excellent academic record and fine moral character. We hope that through their travel experience, the students can broaden their horizons and get to know peoples of different cultures and backgrounds. We will also be sending 50 teachers recommended by the Steering Committee on District Teacher Network to act as chaperons on the Tour so that they may look after the students and guide them in the completion of their travel assignments.
“Their itineraries will include visits to sights related to environmental protection and new technologies. We will also invite local university and environmental agency staff to give lectures to the students with the aim of increasing the students’ understanding of these two major trends of the 21st century. We hope this will stimulate their thirst for learning and inspire them to put their knowledge to good use. We are very pleased to be able to work with the Education Department on this activity.”
The Millennium Study Tour welcomes all government and government-subsidised secondary schools to nominate form 4 to form 7 students. It is estimated that each of the nearly 500 secondary schools will be allotted two spaces. Details of the nomination procedure will be announced by the Education Department in late March.
Mr. Li has always been a strong supporter of community welfare projects. He established the Li Ka-shing Foundation in 1980 to promote the development of education, health care, and other social welfare in Hong Kong, the mainland and overseas. Among the better-known education projects are Shantou University, which was founded in 1981; the Cheung Kong Scholars Programme and the Cheung Kong Achievement Award, established in 1999 to reward outstanding professors; and the building of the new Peking University Library, the largest library in Asia. The Foundation has also supported many education and research projects in Hong Kong, including the construction of the University of Hong Kong Chong Yuet Ming Buildings, the redevelopment of the Caritas Chong Yuet Ming Pre-vocational School, financing the expansion of the Open University of Hong Kong, and donations to a number of tertiary institutions. The Foundation’s major contributions in the area of healthcare include The four Affiliated Hospitals of Shantou University, a joint venture with the Chinese University of Hong Kong to build a Joint International Eye Institute, a donation to the China Disabled Persons Federation which helped to restore vision to 1 million cataract sufferers, and the building of five homes for the elderly and the Li Ka-shing Specialists Clinics in Hong Kong.
For enquiries, please contact Mrs. Wendy Tong Barnes (2122 2062) or Ms. Winnie Cheong (2122 2093) of Corporate Affairs, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited.