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Press Release 2009

Youth Learning Project winners attend PECC meetings in Washington
Friday, May 15, 2009

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation:

Two champion teams of the Youth Learning Project (YLP) on Pacific Economic Cooperation 2008/09 returned to Hong Kong today (May 15) from their award-winning trip to Washington, DC, USA. They joined the Hong Kong, China (HKC) delegation led by the Chairman of the Hong Kong Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (HKCPEC), Professor Sung Yun-wing, at the 18th General Meeting of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) and related activities from May 11 to 13.

The champion teams comprised eight youth delegates - five secondary school students from St. Paul's Co-educational College and three young adults from John Swire & Sons (HK) Ltd.

In Washington, DC, the champion teams met youth delegates from other economies including Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Korea, and participated in a programme arranged by the United States organiser. They also visited the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington, DC. Together with youth delegates of other economies, the champion teams had a dialogue with members of the PECC Standing Committee.

The YLP champion teams have been joining the HKC delegation to attend the PECC General Meeting since 2005. This outreach initiative to youth groups is highly commended within the PECC community, and has become a role model for other PECC member committees.

The YLP was co-organised by HKCPEC and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. The project aims at encouraging youth groups in Hong Kong to further their understanding of the development of economic co-operation between Hong Kong and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region. It also aims at encouraging them to participate in research and discussions on issues related to economic growth and development within the region. 

The project has two categories for entrants - (i) secondary school students and (ii) tertiary students and young adults. The participating teams have to produce a report on their selected theme. Over 100 teams with more than 360 participants enrolled in this year's project. 

The project report of the champion team of the secondary school students category proposes investing in and subsidising the development of farming technologies in less developed countries so that food productivity can be enhanced. The report of the champion team of the tertiary students and young adults category suggests closer regional co-operation in the production of biodiesel from primary and secondary feedstocks such as used food oil. 

The HKCPEC was established in March 1990 to co-ordinate Hong Kong's participation in the PECC. In line with the nature of the PECC, the composition of the HKCPEC is tripartite, comprising members from the government, academia and the business sector.

PECC is a non-governmental organisation set up in 1980 to develop closer co-operation in trade and economic issues among economies in the region.

Currently, PECC has a total of 26 member committees, of which 23 are full members representing the economies of Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Ecuador; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; Mongolia; New Zealand; the Pacific Islands Forum; Peru; the Philippines; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States of America; and Vietnam. PECC also has one associate member, France (Pacific Territories), and two institutional members, the Pacific Trade and Development Conference and the Pacific Basin Economic Council. 

Ends