On 19 June, Lingnan University hosted the “Empowering Youth as Future Leaders of Sustainability” orientation day. This pilot project, funded by the EarthCare Foundation and initiated by the Centre for Cultural Research and Development (CCRD), will take 40 young people on study tours and community visits across Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Indonesia. They will get hands-on experience in areas such as food systems, environmental protection, climate adaptation, and community cooperation, meet local people, and learn how cultural backgrounds influence sustainability and inspire positive change to make places more sustainable.
Prof Pun Ngai, Chair Professor of the Department of Cultural Studies and Director of the CCRD at Lingnan University, delivered the opening address. She thanked everyone for their commitment to sustainability and leadership development, and introduced the concept of “commons”, the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth, as a social practice for community-shared resources.
A highlight of the day was the specially arranged sustainable lunch at the School of Everyday Life, where vegetarian lunch boxes made from soluble corn starch showcased the project’s dedication to reducing environmental impact. The lunch included an introduction to the programme, team-building activities, and preparations for an upcoming sustainability tour of Bali from 30 June to 5 July.
Prof Howard Liu, Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Cultural Studies, ended the event by thanking participants for their active involvement, and encouraging them to apply what they learnt as future sustainability leaders on the Bali tour and beyond.
The CCRD encourages the commons, and has set up the social innovation platform i-COMMON HK. By organising local and international commons tours and educational activities, the CCRD practises and promotes alternative economic models, such as fair trade and the cooperative economy. It also supports community economics and mutual assistance, and advocates the creation of a fair and inclusive community.
