2004年6月1日 星期二

Standing Firm on Hong Kong's Core Values

Worsening governance and rising frustrations: We are deeply concerned


It has been almost seven years since Hong Kong was returned to China . During the July 1st march last year, Hong Kong people witnessed a strong sense of being a community, sharing the same destiny and collectively expressed great concern about the city's future. However, one year on, our worry about Hong Kong 's future has only increased. We are greatly disturbed by the increasing erosion of Hong Kong 's core values. The goals pursued by our community are becoming more distant. The community is filled with a strong sense of helplessness and rising frustration. Our core values are being shaken. The city's governance and business environment has deteriorated and our society's institutional rationality and social cohesion has been weakened. We have come to a critical moment. The alarm is now ringing for us to defend Hong Kong 's core values.


Our core values: Hong Kong 's advantages; Building blocks for modernity


Hong Kong had accumulated a long history of fighting for a better system. The incessant efforts made by the Hong Kong people have produced a unique local culture that is underpinned by some core values most treasured by them and in line with the global modern civilization. These core values include: liberty, democracy, human rights, rule of law, fairness, social justice, peace and compassion, integrity and transparency, plurality, respect for individuals, and upholding professionalism. More and more Hong Kong people are convinced that in their pursuit of a higher quality of life, we must also adhere to the core values essential to sustainable development: broad-based community participation in public affairs, inter-generational equity, economic development with a human focus, environmental protection and reconciliation with nature.


Losing our core values is losing “ Hong Kong ”


We believe that Hong Kong is more than an economic city. It is where over six million people search for a greater meaning in life and build a better home to live in. By losing its core values, Hong Kong will become a city without soul and her people will then lose ' Hong Kong '. We, therefore, cannot afford to keep silent. Defending these core values is not just for the sake of preserving Hong Kong 's way of life, it serves to continue the cultural mission of modernizing the Chinese nation as a whole.


We are deeply distressed, but not in despair. We sign this Declaration in order to give support to each other and convey a key message to everyone and various organizations in Hong Kong : Let us stand firm on our core values. Let us work together, across different sectors and parties, to build our future together. Let us live out Hong Kong 's core values in the social, political, cultural and other aspects of our daily life. Let us act now so that tomorrow our children can take pride in what we are defending today!


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