The “Hong Kong-Macao Youth Cultural Ambassador Exchange Program 2024,” organized by the Language Exchange and Cultural Promotion Association of Macao (LECPA) and the Asia-Pacific Youth Development Fund (AYF), completed its exchange activities in Hong Kong on April 27, 2024. The program welcomed 15 students from Macao and facilitated cultural exchanges between the youth from Hong Kong and Macao.
As part of the exchange program, AYF arranged for students from LECPA to visit cultural institutions in Hong Kong, including having lunch at the Africa Center in Hong Kong and engaging in exchanges with local youth from different ethnic backgrounds, such as those of Nepalese and Pakistani descent. These local youth have various occupations, including entrepreneurs and cultural workers.
Through this collaboration, the Macao youth had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of friends from different ethnicities in Hong Kong, while also allowing African friends in Hong Kong to get to know Southeast Asian friends, fostering discussions on cooperative development.
Meanwhile, under the guidance of the partner organization Project iLM, the participants also had the opportunity to visit the Kowloon Mosque to learn about Islamic culture and explore cultural experiences at Chungking Mansions, where they tasted spice tea and learned about different local cultures.
In the final leg of the itinerary, the young participants of the exchange program visited the Link Sustainability Lab and viewed the thematic “Differently Together” Exhibition” which introduced the three major themes of “multiculturalism,” “emotional well-being,” and “active aging.” They learned to respect and appreciate differences, gaining inspiration for building an inclusive community.
Next week, AYF will lead a group of Hong Kong youth to revisit Macao and participate in a community exploration journey designed by Macao youth. The aim is to gain a comprehensive understanding of Macao’s culture and strengthen collaboration between the youth organizations of the two regions, promoting deeper cultural exchange and inspiring more community development initiatives.