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International Symposium on Sustainable Rural Communities in Asian Cities and the launch of Policy for Sustainability Lab

25 Aug 2016

A group photo of officiating guests, speakers and discussants of the Symposium.

Rural communities are an important component of sustainable society. Although in modern cities their economic significance may have diminished substantially, their vibrancy remains the basis upon which biodiversity and the sustainable environment be sustained. 

The International Symposium on Sustainable Rural Communities in Asian Cities (the Symposium), organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences, began today (August 25) at the Wang Gungwu Theatre, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and will run until August 27, 2016. Officiating at the opening ceremony today were the Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government Mr Wong Kam-sing, HSBC Asia Pacific Head of Corporate Sustainability Ms Malini Thadani, Dean of Social Sciences Professor John P. Burns and Associate Dean (Innovation) of the Faculty of Social Sciences Professor Lam Wai-Fung. The Symposium provided a platform for the sharing of knowledge and experience on the revitalisation of rural communities in Asian cities.  The Symposium will showcase 20 world famous rural revitalisation efforts in Asia, including cases on UNSECO World Heritage Sites.  Fifteen scholars and practitioners from Nepal, Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong will share their knowledge and experience with over 200 participants at the Symposium.  The event today also saw the official launch of the Faculty’s new initiative, the Policy for Sustainability Lab (PSL) (www.socsc.hku.hk/psl), which is established to address the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals through action research and cross-sector partnerships.

Rural communities are often the embodiment of society’s cultural heritage and people’s way of life.  How to preserve or revitalize rural communities amid rapid urbanization presents significant social and policy challenges to any major city. The Symposium is the first knowledge exchange platform on issues of rural revitalisation in Asia, which will help build the foundation for concerted international efforts in meeting the challenge.   Professor John Burns in his welcoming speech said: “We cannot look at cities in isolation. Values of rural communities such as its socio-cultural capitals, food production capacity, biodiversity importance, etc. should be re-visited carefully in connection to the sustainable development of human settlements as a whole, including both rural and urban communities.”

The Secretary for the Environment, Mr. KS Wong said in his officiating speech, "Community engagement is the key to success both for conservation and for socio-economic development of the rural areas.  We, therefore, actively encourage and facilitate village revitalisation projects to promote sustainable socio-economic development of rural areas, while at the same time safeguarding the quality of our natural environment."

Presenters at the Symposium come from diverse backgrounds, from government agencies and the academia, to local and international NGOs and the social sector.  The presentations will cover a whole arrays of topics, including innovative policy solutions, farming technologies, biodiversity and heritage enhancement, and capacity-building for rural communities.  Associate Dean (Innovation) Lam Wai-Fung, also the Director of PSL, introduced the Symposium and highlighted the five pillars of sustainability, “Integration, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Solidarity and Sustainable Communities”, that steer the work of PSL and the approaches for sustainable revitalization for rural communities.

The Symposium is part of the "Living Water & Community Revitalisation: An Agricultural-led Action, Engagement and Incubation Programme at Lai Chi Wo" Project led by the PSL of the Faculty of Social Sciences, supported by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC).  Ms. Malini Thadani, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Asia Pacific, HSBC said, "This four-year project in Lai Chi Wo aims at promoting eco-agriculture, biodiversity and heritage conservation through developing an education hub for sustainability. This is representative of the key elements of the Bank’s sustainability strategy and we are very proud to have supported this meaningful project."

For media enquiries, please contact
Ms. Regina Lo, Faculty of Social Sciences, HKU (Tel: 97482728; email: reginalo@hku.hk)

The Symposium commences with an officiating speech by Mr. Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government.