Foreword

Since the Hong Kong Federation of Women (HKFW) was established in 1993, the HKFW has been committed to uniting women from all walks of life to protect their lawful rights and enhance communications with and among women organizations in Hong Kong as well as at national and international levels.To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of HKFW, we are pleased to present today's Forum, entitled "Searching for a New Dimension for Hong Kong Women", to mark the beginning of a new era for the Federation.

Hong Kong, being one of the world's leading international financial centres, has one of the highest per capita income in the world. It has also been enjoying a very high international status in various aspects such as economic freedom, competitiveness and quality of life, etc. To maintain Hong Kong's leading position, it is important that our young people remain competitive and keep abreast of the rapid developments taking place in other parts of the world.It is only when we are aware of our own shortcomings that we would strive to improve ourselves and keep our growth sustainable.The objective of this forum is to provide an opportunity for us to explore a new development direction for women in the 21st Century to manage these challenges.

Through the sharing of experiences with distinguished speakers from overseas and accomplished leaders in our local community, we aim to achieve a better understanding of the efforts of the international community, our country and the local government in promoting global awareness, and to identify the way forward for making Hong Kong women the driving force behind a global hub.

On behalf of HKFW, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to all our guest speakers. Without their kind support, this Forum would not have been held today.I also wish to thank our sponsors, members of the Organizing Committee, rapporteurs and volunteers for their dedicated support. Last but not least, I wish to thank all the participants for taking part in this Forum and joining us in our pursuit for a new development direction for the women in Hong Kong.

Mrs. Peggy Lam
Chairperson, Hong Kong Federation of Women