Picture 1. Hong Kong China

The Sixth affiliate safe Community Support Centre in the world and the first ever in Asia was inaugurated in Hong Kong, China on March 21, 2000. This is a reflection of the ongoing interest for Safe Community development in Asia as well as the leading part taken by the Occupational Safety and Health Council in Hong Kong OSHC) (Picture 2 & 3).

Pictures 2 and 3. The Safe Community Information Material and Signing Document presented at the Signing Ceremony, Hong Kong March 21, 2000.

Community based safety and health programs have always been the focus of the promotional campaigns of OSHC. "We are committed to promote a strong safety culture for Hong Kong where every man and woman will think and act safe.’ Says Dr T L Ng, JP, Chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council.

He proceeds: " A Safe Community will facilitate the development of safety awareness among members of the community. This stays high on our agenda for the 2000’s – to build a safe community where members can enjoy safety & health at work, at play and at home." "The Council is proud to partner with the World Health Organisation in safety promotion" says Dr Ng at the Signing Ceremony (Picture 4 & 5).

Picture 4. The signing Ceremony of the First ever WHO Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre in Asia. To the left Professor Leif Svanström signing on behalf of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion and to the right Dr T L Ng, JP, Chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council in Hong Kong, 21^st March 2000.

Picture 5. The signed Agreement between the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion and the Occupational Safety and Health Council in Hong Kong, China.

What are the functions of an Affiliate Support Centre? The centre in Hon Kong formulate seven tasks:

1. Support individual communities to establish Steering communities for S.C.
2. Provide seed funding for establishing S.C.
3. Network the grass-root organisations to achieve effectiveness in delivering S.C. programs.
4. Free distribution of promotional materials.
5. Organise training courses for the public.
6. Offer consultancy services.
7. Provide professional consulting and quality training services to those involved in high risk operations.

The involvement of OSHC in Hong Kong has much been inspired by the Canadian involvement in S.C. development. Consequently Ms Maureen Shaw, President of the Industrial Accident Prevention Association, Ontario, Canada, was the first to congratulate the OSHC (Picture 6), on behalf of her own organisation, the Safe Community Foundation in Canada (Another Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre) and a number of "Safe Communities" in Canada.

Picture 6. Ms Maureen Shaw, President of the Industrial Accident Prevention Association, Ontario, Canada, was the first to congratulate Dr T L Ng, JP, Chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council at the signing Ceremony of the Affiliate Safe Community Support Centre in Hong Kong, 21^st March 2000.

The inauguration ceremony was held in conjunction with the Safety + Health Expo in Hong Kong, March 21-23, 2000. This is an event that attracted nearly one thousand participants to a high quality program. The Expo was opened by the Secretary for Education and Manpower (Picture 7) and the opening speeches under the Chair of Dr Maureen Shaw was focusing (picture 8):

1. Managing Occupational Safety and Health in Vibrant Hong Kong: the Quiet Revolution (Matthew Kin-chung Cheung, Commissioner for Labour, Hk).
2. Master a Better Safety Knowledge by Strengthening Safety Education and Training (Shu-kui REN, Deputy Director General, Bureau of Work Safety of the State Economic and Trade Commission, PRC, Beijing).
3. The ILO’s Occupational Safety & Health Programme, with Special Reference to Asia and the Pacific (Djankou Ndjonkou, Director, International Labour Organisation, Beijing).
4. Leading, Managing, Measuring and Learning for High Performance in Construction (Dennis Else, Chairman, Australia National Occupational Health and Safety Commission).

Picture 7. The Secretary for Education and Manpower in Hong Kong Joseph W P Wong, GBS, JP approached by the journalist at the opening of Safety and Health Expo in Hong Kong, 21-23 March 2000.

Picture 8. Ms Maureen Shaw, chairing the panel at the opening session surrounded by Mr Matthew Kin-chung Cheung (left), Shu-kui REN and Mr Dennis Else. Missing on the picture: Dr Djankou Ndjonkou.