The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau today hosted the second edition of the Youth Development Summit · Hong Kong.

Under the theme “Connecting the World into the Future”, the summit has gathered officials responsible for youth policies from various regions, alongside experts and leaders of different sectors as guest speakers.

The event attracted over 3,000 young people registered to participate, including around 600 from the Mainland and 33 from overseas countries such as the US, Malaysia, Laos, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which enabled them to exchange views and engage in mutual learning on issues of concern to youngsters.

Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki officiated at the summit. In his opening remarks, he said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to youth.

“Our Youth Development Blueprint, released in late 2022, outlines our guiding principles for advancing youth development, as well as charting a clear pathway for stakeholders everywhere. Our vision is to nurture a new generation of youth equipped with a global perspective, a positive thinking mindset, and an affection for our city and our country. Since the release of the blueprint, more than 250 concrete actions and measures have been put forward to providing young people with wide-ranging opportunities and support.”

Mr Chan thanked all the speakers who shared their experiences and visionary ideas, inspiring the participants from around the world to think about how they can foster stronger connections across boundaries and cultures to help and learn from each other to build a better future together.

He also encouraged young participants to make good use of the event as a platform to exchange ideas with other young people from different regions to develop innovative solutions, and turn bold ideas into tangible impact.

At the morning's keynote session, Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak delivered a keynote speech and apart from sharing the vision of the Hong Kong SAR Government in deepening international exchanges and co-operation, she highlighted its key measures and initiatives on youth development.

Miss Mak said that the Hong Kong SAR Government has been taking forward measures in the Youth Development Blueprint at full steam to provide more Chinese Mainland and overseas exchange opportunities for Hong Kong young people to strengthen their global perspective.

She stressed that she wishes young people would work together to unlock endless possibilities for a brighter future of Hong Kong, the country and the world.

Additionally, starting yesterday, the bureau has arranged a three-day thematic visit programme and exchange activities to enhance the participants from the Mainland and overseas in understanding Hong Kong's latest development in technological innovation, culture and arts, and provide them with an opportunity to exchange and interact with the local youth.

The YDC Youth Ambassadors and the Youth Link Committee members served as the ambassadors of the programme, alongside over 400 summit participants in exploring Hong Kong. The activities will foster cross-regional interaction and collaboration among young people, showcase the charm and vibrancy of the city, and tell the world the good stories of Hong Kong youth.

Prior to the opening of the summit, Mr Chan hosted a welcome dinner yesterday for officials, guests and speakers from the Mainland and overseas who came to Hong Kong to participate in the event.

Click here for the summit's highlights.