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Overcoming Hardships – Charitable Organisations and Hong Kong Social Development Subject Talks
In this series, the talks will look at the elites of charitable organisations like Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, evolvement of non-government organisations and development of Hong Kong’s funeral culture.
Past Activities
| Date: |
2021/11/20 (Saturday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre)
|
| Description: |
Every person goes through life, ageing, illness and death. As filial piety is an important value in traditional Chinese culture, Chinese people attach great importance to funerals and burials. Following its founding in 1870, Tung Wah Hospital offered free Chinese medical treatment to impoverished Chinese people. Free burial services were offered to deceased Chinese people with no family, and communal graves were built for them. In the 1970s, Tung Wah set up funeral parlours in response to Chinese people’s demand for funeral and burial services. This talk is hosted by Dr Carl Leung, the fifth-generation owner of Leung Chun Woon Kee Co. Ltd. and former Tung Wah director, in the company of Ms Stella See, Head of the TWGHs Records and Heritage Office. The former will discuss the development of Hong Kong’s funeral culture and the latter will share stories about funerals and burials of Tung Wah. |
| Date: |
2021/10/23 (Saturday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre)
|
| Description: |
In the early days of colonial Hong Kong, the government focused on enhancing the commercial value of the city, and no effort had been made to lay down policies targeting local people’s livelihood. Overseas religious groups and foreign missionaries were the first to care for Chinese people in Hong Kong. Subsequently, the government founded Tung Wah Hospital. After Tung Wah Hospital merged with Kwong Wah Hospital and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital as the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, more diversified services were provided for the people. Taking the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals as an example, the speaker will discuss the evolvement of non-government organisations as well as their contribution to Hong Kong’s development. |
| Date: |
2021/9/18 (Saturday) |
| Time: |
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Venue: |
Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre)
|
| Description: |
In 1870, the British Hong Kong Government announced the founding of Tung Wah Hospital and appointed a board of directors made up of 13 Chinese leaders. In the first 20 to 30 years after Hong Kong’s founding, a group of Chinese leaders, mostly Confucian merchants, rose to prominence. The speaker will compare the elites of the past and present in terms of family, native township and social engagement, and explore why generation after generation of individuals are willing to contribute their money, time and effort to support the work of charitable organisations. |
