Charity Walk in Hong Kong

On Saturday 16th January Taiwan YHA team and several volunteers went to Hong Kong to take part in the Nong Ping Charity Walk which is an annual 1 day event that aims to raise the awareness of the public on the importance of the preservation of natural environment, promote parent-child outdoor fun and healthy lifestyles as well as raise funds for environmental protection, cultural exchange and youth development projects. The event is located on beautiful Lantau Island which is a priority spot for the preservation of the natural environment and cultural landscape in Hong Kong and participants can take in the natural beauty of the island and appreciate the cultural scenery along the route such as the Giant Buddha which is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha, and much more. Hong Kong is a very populated area, but more than half of Lantau Island has been designated as Country Park area and it’s tranquil green landscape makes it a popular spot for nature's lovers and hikers.

Participants can join the walk as individuals, groups, families, school or as a corporate team and their registration fee counts as a donation. Prizes are given up to the 10th place holder in the walk. There are competitive and non competitive categories and the option of 8km, 17km and 23km walks and for those not keen on walking, there is also a photography competition open to the public.

We arrived at Nong Ping Village to a mix of professional walkers, young people and families warming up, as well as a large group of general public milling around the registration and information areas observing. Taiwan YHA was given their own stand to promote our network, and were joined by Germany YHA and of course Hong Kong YHA associations who also had booths promoting their networks. Everyone involved was very excited to meet other YHA association staff members and make new friends.

Jessica Huang, Taiwan YHA CEO, spoke on stage to event participants and also had the honor of cutting the ribbon to open the event. There were a number of event ambassadors such as famous actors, sporting icons and honorary advisors from related organizations and our very own President of the International Youth Hostel Federation Edith Arnoult-Brill. We also had an opportunity to meet Promvit Regional Development Co-ordinator from the HI Asia Pacific office.

To grab passerby’s attention the YHA team performed a dance routine called “Taiwan Touch Your Heart” wearing special T-shirts provided by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau and then handed out YHA network brochures and discount cards from the National Youth Commission. Over the following days we chose several other busy public places to perform, promote and talk to people about YHA.
 
Hong Kong event was very successful promotional event and a great way for young Taiwanese people to learn how to promote their own country in a fun way and see a country they have not seen before at the same time, and one that we wont forget!.

Organizers of the event believe that it’s important that the Charity Walk has an international focus with overseas teams being invited to participate, as environmental protection is a global concern. They hope the vision of the Charity Walk will be shared among people all over the world, and we at Taiwan YHA congratulate Hong Kong YHA for creating such a popular event which strikes an important synergy with the Hostelling International Mission.

For more details on the event please see http://npcw.yha.org.hk .