About Consortium of Institutes on Family in the Asian Region (CIFA)

CIFA is registered as a company incorporated with limited liability and a non-profit making organisation under the laws of Hong Kong. It is an independent organisation which provides a regional platform for networking and collaboration among organisations and professionals who share the mission of “Converging Professional Wisdom for Family Well-Being.” Its function is to support and enhance mutual interests in research and training initiatives, and to share clinical experiences and policy formulation on families that are unique to the Asian region.

The Inauguration and Inaugural Symposium of CIFA was held at The University of Hong Kong in 2008, followed by biennial Regional Symposiums in Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, Seoul and Taiwan, each attracting an average of over 400 participants. Other major activities include cross-country researches, training activities, the Asian Award for Advancing Family Well-Being (3A Project), promotion and fund-raising activities, and distribution of information through its website and CIFA-NET, the newsletter.

After establishing contact between CIFA and the United Nations in 2014, representatives from the UN have attended CIFA activities on several occasions, including the Regional Symposium in 2016 in Korea, Exchange Programme on 3A Project and Charity Concert For Family Harmony in 2017, and Asian Family Summit in 2018 in Hong Kong. CIFA eventually received formal recognition from the United Nations, with the granting of Special Consultative Status in 2021, putting CIFA in the international arena, and getting more involved and actively contributing in the global efforts to advance family well-being, especially from the Asian perspective, a region which is becoming more active and significant in the world affairs.

CIFA has been actively involved in co-ordinating and organising activities in Asia to echo the call from the United Nations to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family, including the Expert Group Meeting on Demographic Changes on Ageing of Population in Asia, Family We-Time Campaign and the Asian Family Summit 2024, among others, receiving very positive feedback and support from the United Nations.

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About Social Welfare Department, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Government (SWD, HKSAR Government)

The Social Welfare Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (SWD) is responsible for implementing the Government’s policies on social welfare and for developing and coordinating social welfare services in Hong Kong. With a “people-oriented” mission, SWD provides, through its over 200 service units and 170 Non-governmental organisations operating subvented services, a wide range of welfare services for the public, including social security, services for the elderly, family and child welfare services, medical social services, group and community work, services for young people, rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, as well as services for offenders.

SWD has been proactively promoting cross-sectoral collaboration amongst different professionals to effectively identify and provide interventions and assistance for families in need, aiming at enhancing the family functioning and capabilities to meet life challenges. SWD is very honoured to be one of the co-organisers of the Asian Family Summit 2024 and work together with all the esteemed and committed organisations for the betterment of family welfare. It is hoped that through the platform of CIFA and the Asian Family Summit to be held in December 2024, the professional knowledge of fellows in helping families to enhance their functioning can be consolidated, and a caring and loving society can be built up through collaborative efforts.

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About Family Council, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (FC, HKSAR Government)

The Family Council, an advisory body set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in December 2007, serves as a cross-sector and cross-bureau platform for advising the Government on family-related policies and promoting a culture of loving families in the community. It is currently chaired by Ms. Melissa Kaye PANG, a practising solicitor, and its membership comprises 14 non-official members from different backgrounds, three ex-officio members (namely Chairpersons of the Elderly Commission and the Women’s Commission, and Vice-Chairperson of the Youth Development Commission) and three Government representatives (namely, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Secretary for Education and Secretary for Labour and Welfare or their representatives).

The Council identified three sets of family core values (i.e. "Love and Care", "Respect and Responsibility" and "Communication and Harmony") as the driving force for social harmony. Efforts have also been made to promote a pro-family culture in a multi-pronged approach. The work of the Council mainly covers the following three aspects –

a. To advocate cherishing family, promote family core values and spread the culture of loving families through organising various programmes and activities;

b. To advise Government bureaux and departments on the application of family perspectives in the policy formulation process; and

c. To conduct family-related researches and surveys for fostering a better understanding of the relevant issues.

The Council has worked in collaboration with various stakeholders to bring family core values to different sectors of the community and the public at large.

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About Connecting Hearts

The Connecting Hearts (香港社福界「心連心」大行動) was established under the Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622 of the Laws of Hong Kong) on December 8, 2022, and became a tax-exempt charitable organisation under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Chapter 112 of the Laws of Hong Kong) in July 2023. The Connecting Hearts pledges to “Starting a New Chapter in Hong Kong Social Welfare”. The mission of the Connecting Hearts is to:

(a) support and ensure the effective and benevolent governance of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China;

(b) strengthen the unity of the social service sector;

(c) enhance cooperation across sectors in Hong Kong;

(d) promote the enhancement of social services in Hong Kong and Mainland China;

(e) dedicate to the continuing global development of social services ; and

(f) consolidate all efforts to improve the quality of life for all

in “connecting hearts” spirit, so as to achieve our dream of “warming the hearts” of all of us in the world.

For the key events, please visit the website (https://connectinghearts.hk/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ConnectingHeartsHK) of Connecting Hearts.

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About Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong (FOSS, HKU)

The Faculty of Social Sciences was established in 1967 and has undergone rapid expansion and significant transformation since then. It comprises the Departments of Geography, Politics and Public Administration, Psychology, Social Work and Social Administration, Sociology, and Journalism and Media Studies Centre. The Faculty aims to contribute to the advancement of society and the development of leaders locally, regionally, and globally. The Faculty has been a major research hub in the region and among the six departments, four ranked top 3 in Asia and three ranked top 25 in the world.

The Faculty seeks to contribute to the advancement of society and the development of leaders through a global presence, regional significance and engagement with the rest of China and strives to attract and nurture outstanding scholars in the social sciences from around the world through excellence and innovation in teaching and learning, research and knowledge exchange. The Faculty also aims to produce citizens with a global perspective who are critical thinkers, socially aware, ready to embrace diversity, and seek to make an impact on society.

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About The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS)

The HKCSS is a statutory body established in 1947. Together with our Agency Members, we uphold social justice and equality in our mission to advance the well-being of the Hong Kong community. The HKCSS is committed to building an impact-oriented, collaborative and innovative social service sector, and co-creating a better society with stakeholders across different sectors. The HKCSS has over 520 Agency Members, with service units throughout Hong Kong, providing high-quality social services to those in need.

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