The “Civic Engagement for Our City’s Future” Hong Kong Sustainable Blueprint Competition, organised by the Hong Kong Sustainable Development Research Institute (“HKSDRI”), sponsored by AXA Hong Kong and supported by the Elderly Commission, concluded successfully today. “寂寞的心” from Chinese University of Hong Kong (“CUHK”) & The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (“PolyU”) was announced as the champion. Meanwhile, “Evergreen” from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (“HKUST”) won the “New Media Policy Promotion Award”, after receiving the largest amount of online votes.

The competition invited local tertiary students to submit proposals and promotional videos to develop policies that would improve the lives of senior citizens. Approximately 500 students from various local tertiary institutions, comprising over 80 teams, took part in the competition; eight teams were shortlisted for the final round.

The competition judges were Political Assistant to the Secretary for Development Mr. Allen Fung, Founder and Executive Director of HKSDRI Mr. Ivan Chu, Chief Life Product & Proposition Officer of AXA Hong Kong Ms. Bonnie Lui, and Chief Actuary of AXA Hong Kong Mr. Kevin Lee. The judges scored the proposals according to several criteria, including their content, feasibility, creativity and presentation. “寂寞的心” was named winner for its Elderly and Youth Share-house Scheme. The judges complimented the team for not only having displayed a thorough understanding of current policies affecting senior citizen, but also for offering a feasible policy driven by creative thinking that could enable senior citizens to lead more fulfilling lives. The winning team said the competition was a fantastic learning experience that allowed its members to deepen their understanding of the policy formulation and promotion processes and that it enabled them to receive valuable advice from their mentors. The first runner-up was “春田花花護老會” from CUHK and the second runner-up was “Evergreen” from HKUST.

The winner of the “New Media Policy Promotion Award” was “Evergreen” from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which advocated a traveling scheme for youths and the elderly. The team created an incredibly original video that made the policy proposal more relatable to the public; the video successfully received over 1,000 likes on social media and reached over 11,000 users.

Mr. Allen Fung, Political Assistant to the Secretary for Development said, “ I believe, every participants will learn more on sustainability and elderly policy. I was so glad to see so many youths, gather here to plan for the future of Hong Kong.”

Mr. Ivan Chu, Founder and Executive Director of HKSDRI said, “An ageing population is an inevitable trend in Hong Kong, yet the future belongs to young people. Through this competition, our institute hopes to encourage young people to put their creativity towards conceptualising a blueprint for the future of our senior citizens and the future of society as a whole.”

Mr. Xavier Lestrade, Managing Director of Life Insurance of AXA Hong Kong said, “Hong Kong’s ageing population is an issue that we, as a society, must address. According to official statistics, the percentage of seniors in Hong Kong over age 65 will increase dramatically from 15% of the population in 2014 to 36% in 2064. As one of the largest insurers in the world, it is AXA’s mission to empower people to live a better life. While we provide a variety of insurance products to help customers face the potential challenges of the future, we are also active in increasing awareness of the issues concerned with an ageing population. We hope that this competition leverages the creativity and thought of our young generation to identify new and sustainable solutions to the issue, shaping a future where seniors lead happier lives.”

The Hong Kong Sustainable Development Blueprint Competition is a recognised celebratory event for the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. For more details, please refer to this link: http://bit.ly/2nyQvJI.