Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

To tie in with “Hong Kong Reading for All Day” on April 23, Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) will hold Hong Kong Reading Week 2026 from April 20 to 26.

Under the theme of “Delight/LIBRARY”, this year’s reading week will comprise about 470 events aimed at cultivating good reading habits among the public.

HKPL will participate in 2026 Hong Kong Reading+, a reading promotion initiative organised by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation (HKPF) and sponsored by the Cultural & Creative Industries Development Agency, at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin from April 18 to 26.

HKPL and HKPF will hold an opening ceremony for Hong Kong Reading Week 2026 and 2026 Hong Kong Reading+ at the venue on April 18. HKPL will introduce its electronic resources and hold handicraft workshops, as well as parent-child reading activities.

On Hong Kong Reading for All Day on April 23, reading locations will be set up at selected Leisure & Cultural Services Department venues, public libraries, community libraries, higher education institutions, and primary and secondary schools, to facilitate the event “Read Together for Half an Hour”.

HKPL and the Hans Andersen Club will also co-host a “Joyful Family Reading Carnival” at East Kowloon Cultural Centre.

Fun day activities suitable for people of all ages will be staged on April 25 and 26 at the Hong Kong Central Library. These include a music and story sharing session hosted by the pop singer Phil Lam, a magic performance and workshops by Harry Wong, interactive guide dog sessions, a Miniature World of Hong Kong exhibition, and musical interludes featuring classical pieces by Chinese and Western ensembles under the Music Office. An interactive device “The Happiness Explorer” will be set up to recommend good books.

In addition, the Pop-up Library@Hong Kong Reading Week 2026 – under the theme “Happiness Is Just Around the Book Corner” – will be held at Festival Walk in Kowloon Tong on April 25.

On April 25 and 26, selected public libraries across Hong Kong will hold storytelling and handicraft workshops, with self-service photo booths adding to the fun for patrons.

Click here for details.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Education Bureau today announced the Values Education Curriculum Framework (2026), providing a roadmap for primary and secondary schools to implement values-based learning starting from the 2026-27 school year.

Drafted by the Standing Committee on Values Education under the Curriculum Development Council, the framework adopts the core theme: “Taking root in Chinese Culture, Connecting with the World, Embracing the Future”. The Bureau emphasised that Chinese culture serves as the backbone of this overarching direction.

The new document outlines key focuses for schools to strengthen, including detailed curriculum content, planning and implementation strategies. It also establishes expected learning outcomes for students at various stages and provides a suite of resources and support for educators.

The bureau noted that the document also provides schools with a clearer and more forward-looking direction to further enhance values education, and supports schools in equipping students to face current and future opportunities and challenges.

It added that in response to rapid social and technological changes, the curriculum framework recommends that schools continue to strengthen learning in several key areas. These include Chinese culture, national education, life education, sex education and health education, alongside content related to sustainable development.

The framework also aims to foster students’ media and information literacy, international perspectives and an awareness of “building a community with a shared future for mankind”. The objective is to nurture self-disciplined, committed and aspiring future pillars of society who possess an affection for Hong Kong and a strong sense of national belonging.

Following the release of the Values Education Curriculum Framework (Pilot Version) in 2021, primary and secondary schools have already begun reviewing and refining their school-based values education curricula based on their individual developmental progress. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The kick-off ceremony of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 (HSODC 2026) jointly organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data was held at the InnoEX on April 13. Themed “Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities”, this year’s competition is based on open data of the governments of the two places and their latest urban development needs. It reflects the search for open data resources that drive social development while exploring collaborative models for open data and industry data, thus promoting the collaborative development of smart city construction between the two cities. This year’s competition incorporates more international elements, encouraging Hong Kong and Shanghai teams to explore global application scenarios, thereby promoting the advancement of digital technologies and innovation capabilities in both cities towards the global stage.

     Addressing the kick-off ceremony, the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, stated that the HSODC 2026 provides a platform for young people, research teams and enterprises from both places to showcase their creativity within the national strategic framework, driving high-quality development of the digital economy. In recent years, the HKSAR Government has actively improved open data, data sharing and flow by optimising data governance, thereby promoting data applications within the Government and across various industries. The development and use of data elements is a long-distance journey. With Hong Kong and Shanghai joining forces, the two cities will contribute significantly to the high-quality development of the country’s digital economy.

     The Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion (the Pavilion), staged at the InnoEX, showcased the data application achievements of last year’s competing teams in four major areas: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy. The Pavilion highlighted how these teams utilised data to solve real-world problems and create social value. Furthermore, a forum titled Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation was held on April 14 under the theme “Research Data Platforms”. During the forum, data experts and research institution practitioners from both Hong Kong and Shanghai shared various case studies, including the integration of industry, academia, and research; the development and application of open datasets for new energy vehicles; the core advantages and industrial practices of data intelligence; and compliant data-sharing agreements for scientific research. 

     The HSODC 2026 is now open for registration until June 15. This year’s competition continues to focus on four key areas: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy, encouraging participants to leverage open data resources from both cities to build innovative projects and pioneer frontier application solutions. Participants will be offered professional training to gain an in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics and advantages of urban data resources in both cities. Shortlisted teams will receive technical training from late June to August, with the opportunity to attend the grand finale to be held in Shanghai in August, showcasing their innovative and unique data technology solutions in front of judges. For more details, please visit the website: hkshadata.org.

     The DPO organised a series of innovation and technology (I&T) events in April to showcase Hong Kong’s vibrant I&T ecosystem. These include the Smart Hong Kong Pavilion at the InnoEX, the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, organised by the HKSAR Government and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, and the HSODC 2026.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​Four co-owners were convicted and fined $128,720 in total, of which $118,720 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday (April 14) for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).  

The case involved unauthorised building works (UBWs) encroaching a common corridor and portion of a front and rear staircase landing of a composite building on Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei. As the works were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the co-owners under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, they were prosecuted by the BD.

A spokesman for the BD said today (April 16), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety.”

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Digital Policy Office announced today (April 16) that Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) has become a recognised certification authority pursuant to the Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap. 553) (ETO).
 
The Government established the Voluntary Certification Authority Recognition Scheme under the ETO. A certification authority may voluntarily apply to the Commissioner for Digital Policy for recognition. Recognition will only be granted to those certification authorities and digital certificates that meet the Government’s trustworthiness standards, thus protecting the interests of users of services provided by a recognised certification authority.
 
Under the Recognition Scheme, a certification authority issues digital certificates to subscribers, allowing them to conduct electronic transactions with other parties in a secure manner.
 
     The HKIRC has been granted authority to issue six types of digital certificate to individuals and organisations. The HKIRC’s recognition brings the total number of recognised certification authorities in Hong Kong to three, the other two being Digi-Sign Certification Services Limited and the Postmaster General.
 
     A spokesperson for the Digital Policy Office (DPO) said, “The Government has been encouraging organisations to provide services as certification authorities, offering the public who need certification services more choices and helping to promote and facilitate secure and reliable electronic transactions.”
 
More details of the Recognition Scheme are available on the DPO website (www.digitalpolicy.gov.hk/en/our_work/digital_infrastructure/legal_framework/regulation/eto/ca/introduction/).

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The sixth-term Commission on Poverty convened its sixth meeting this afternoon (April 16).
 
At the meeting, members noted that the Report on Impact of Targeted Poverty Alleviation Strategy in Hong Kong is being finalised. The Report will elaborate on the content and impact of the Government’s targeted poverty alleviation measures. It will also reflect, from a macro perspective, how the Government’s major policies alleviate, combat and prevent poverty, thereby effectively enhancing people’s sense of achievement and satisfaction. The Report will also outline future strategies for relevant work. It is expected to be released by mid-2026.
 
Members also noted that the Government will continue to support vulnerable groups through the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community, including establishing a platform to encourage family offices involved in philanthropic endeavours to provide resources for implementing projects that benefit disadvantaged groups.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, witnessed the signing of strategic collaboration agreements by The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) with the Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital (SZTCMH) and the Hebei Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (HBHCM) respectively yesterday (April 15) and today (April 16) at CMHHK. The agreements laid a foundation and set the direction for collaboration on various fronts between CMHHK and the two Chinese medicine (CM) hospitals in Shenzhen Municipality and Hebei Province.

Professor Lo and member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Party Leadership Group of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, Mr Chen Qing, witnessed the signing of the Strategic Collaboration Agreement between SZTCMH and CMHHK by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CMHHK Operator, Mr Wong Kwai-huen, and the President of SZTCMH, Professor Zhu Meiling, yesterday. Professor Lo also witnessed the signing of the Strategic Collaboration Agreement between HBHCM and CMHHK by Mr Wong and the Director of HBHCM, Professor Zhi Zheng, today. The signing marked the official commencement of collaboration between CMHHK and the two CM hospitals.

Professor Lo said, “CMHHK has been committed to providing a key platform for promoting innovation in CM, deepening regional co-operation and leading future development through establishing closer liaison with healthcare institutions on the Mainland and internationally, thereby further strengthening Hong Kong’s role as an international hub for CM exchanges. The establishment of strategic partnerships with the CM hospitals in Shenzhen Municipality and Hebei Province also responds to the national goals, as set out in the 15th Five-Year Plan, of better integrating into the overall national development and fostering the inheritance and innovation of CM. Hong Kong will continue to leverage the institutional strengths of ‘one country, two systems’ to promote collaborations between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland in the healthcare sector. At the same time, Hong Kong will strive to serve as a bridgehead for CM to go global by leveraging its role as an important window for exchange and mutual learning between Chinese and Western cultures.”

The two strategic collaboration agreements cover numerous areas, including exchange of CM talents, cross-boundary distance discussions of cases, establishment of a sharing platform for drug interaction alert notifications, organisation of CM academic conferences, development of a scientific research network, as well as other related projects on education, scientific research and healthcare services that are conducive to CM development in Hong Kong-Shenzhen and Hong Kong-Hebei. CMHHK will advance collaboration together with SZTCMH and HBHCM respectively in accordance with the strategic collaboration agreements.

Apart from the abovementioned agreements, CMHHK has already signed strategic collaboration agreements with key hospitals in several provincial-level administrative regions (namely Guangdong Province, Beijing Municipality, Tianjin Municipality, Jiangsu Province, Shandong Province, Sichuan Province and the Macao Special Administrative Region), as well as with TCM-Klinik Bad Kötzting in Germany and Western Sydney University in Australia.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Education Bureau (EDB) today (April 16) announced the Values Education Curriculum Framework (2026) (Curriculum Framework (2026)) prepared by the Standing Committee on Values Education (Standing Committee) under the Curriculum Development Council as a guiding document for schools to plan and implement the values education curriculum.

A spokesperson for the EDB said, “With Chinese culture as its backbone, the Curriculum Framework (2026) sets the overarching direction of “Taking root in Chinese Culture, Connecting with the World, Embracing the Future”. It elaborates on major focuses of values education that schools should continuously strengthen, curriculum content, curriculum planning and implementation strategies, and sets out suggestions on expected learning outcomes for students at each key learning stage as well as providing relevant resources and support. It provides schools with a clearer and more forward-looking direction to further enhance values education, and supports schools in equipping students to face current and future opportunities and challenges.”  

The spokesman continued, “In response to the rapid development of society and technology, the Curriculum Framework (2026) recommends that schools continue to strengthen the learning of Chinese culture, national education, life education, sex education, health education (including anti-drug education, resistance to harmful substances and promotion of physical and psychological well-being), and the relevant content and learning elements of education for sustainable development, as well as fostering students’ media and information literacy (covering Artificial Intelligence Literacy), international perspectives, and awareness of ‘building a community with a shared future for mankind’, with a view to nurturing students to become self-disciplined, committed and aspiring future pillars of society with an affection for Hong Kong, a sense of belonging to our country, as well as an international perspective.”

Since the release of the Values Education Curriculum Framework (Pilot Version) in 2021 (Pilot Version), primary and secondary schools, taking into account their respective developmental progress, have made reference to the direction set out in the Pilot Version to review, plan, or refine their existing school-based values education curricula from different entry points. In light of the education policies and curriculum development of our country and Hong Kong, changes in social environment, technological advancement, and students’ learning and developmental needs, the Standing Committee, with reference to the Pilot Version, has continuously collected views from relevant stakeholders through various channels including talks, workshops and focus group interviews. With reference to schools’ practical experiences and in alignment with updates to various secondary and primary curricula, the Curriculum Framework (2026) was compiled for adoption by all secondary and primary schools in Hong Kong starting from the 2026/27 school year.

To support teachers in promoting values education within and beyond the classroom, the EDB not only organises a variety of teacher professional development courses such as talks, seminars, workshops, visits and study tours, interschool visits and exchanges, on-site support, film appreciation and learning communities, but also continuously develops diversified and down-to-earth learning and teaching resources. They include “Life Events” Exemplars, learning resource webpages, short videos, animations and promotional materials. These resources are progressively uploaded to the EDB’s webpage for schools’ reference and use. Furthermore, the EDB continues to organise a variety of promotional activities, including the Values Education Promotion Campaign with the theme “Building Our Dream”. Schools are encouraged to respond by organising or participating in different forms of values education activities in the 2026/27 school year, with due regard to their own characteristics, annual themes for values education, as well as students’ abilities, learning and developmental needs to deepen students’ understanding of proper values and put them into practice.

The Values Education Curriculum Framework (2026) has been uploaded to the EDB’s website for schools’ and teachers’ reference.