Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the opening ceremony of the 52nd Annual Meeting of the National Committees for UNICEF this morning (May 7) (English only):

Ms Veneman, Mr Andersen, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to Hong Kong for this Annual Meeting of the National Committees for UNICEF. We are honoured to be hosting this meeting for the first time. My gratitude to Dr Robert Fung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, for his untiring efforts to make it all happen.

I wonder why it took UNICEF five decades to find Hong Kong and come here to hold its annual meeting. But of course there are other priorities.

It has been said many times before ― and truisms bear repeating ― that children are our future. Unfortunately, there are still many, many thousands of children around the world who suffer for want of basic health care. In this day and age of global connectivity, there are children who don't know what a computer is let alone have access to a classroom, or even such rudimentary facilities as a blackboard and chalk. There are children who have no parents because they've been killed in wars. There are children who are exploited and abused. Anyone with children will know that innocents should not suffer in this way.

Thankfully, the world has UNICEF. The United Nations Children's Fund has worked relentlessly to help children marginalised by disability, poverty, disease, violence, conflict and discrimination; and to provide them with access to basic education and welfare. Mother Teresa once said: "The material and physical suffering is suffering from hunger, from homelessness, from all kinds of diseases. But the greatest suffering is being lonely, feeling unloved, having no one." Thanks to UNICEF, millions of children around the world have been saved from this despair because of basic, simple and life-saving services. The heart of UNICEF's mission is love for children.

Children need special protection because they are vulnerable. In Hong Kong, we are wholeheartedly committed to providing children with a safe, healthy and happy environment in which to grow and mature. No child in Hong Kong is ever denied education up to and including university level, medical care or attention for lack of means. We have laws to protect children from abuse and violence. We have preventive, supportive and specialised services to help children in an emergency. And we work closely with NGOs to help children who are disadvantaged in any way by providing services catering for their physical, psychological and social development.

Cherishing the family is a core value within many communities the world over. It is most definitely a key value within Chinese culture. Family harmony is the foundation of social harmony. That is why our social policies are geared towards supporting and consolidating the family unit, protecting children from all forms of violence, and fostering the well being of children and their family members.

Protecting the well being and rights of children is something that should involve everyone in the community. Thankfully, in Hong Kong, we have many people and organisations dedicated to this cause ― the government, NGOs, schools, neighbourhood groups and, of course, the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF. I can assure you that this commitment, care and co-operation will continue because it is simply the right thing to do for our children.

It is true to say that all of us here have inherited this world from our ancestors. But, we are also borrowing it from our children. The future they enjoy, rests with the care and attention we give them today.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you once again for coming to Hong Kong for this meeting. I wish you all a very fruitful and enjoyable dicussion. Some of you may know that this year, Hong Kong celebrates the 10th anniversary of our Reunification with China. We are all looking forward to celebrating this milestone and are very excited about what the future holds. By coming to Hong Kong at this time, you have helped underscore the role Hong Kong plays as Asia's world city and as the most international city in China. I certainly hope that you can take some time out of your busy schedule to experience the excitement of our city. And, of course, come back and visit us again.

Thank you very much.

Ends/Monday, May 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 10:22

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