Seeing as this is my first post on Voices of Youth, I want to first introduce myself. I'm currently 16 years old, and in my spare time I love reading, writing and running. I'm most passionate about the protection of girl's/women's rights, the provision of education for every child, and the preservation of the environment. I come from the vibrant, multi-cultural city of Hong Kong!
Hong Kong is located in the south of China, but is classified as a "Special Administrative Region". Technically, Hong Kong is part of China, but it operates under different rules and has a different system. “One country, two systems” is a common saying that summarises Hong Kong’s relations with China. Here, we are blessed with freedom of speech and freedom of worship, a sharp contrast with the heavily censored Mainland China. There are yearly protests on July 1st (Hong Kong’s Handover day from British to Chinese rule), and the recent “white paper” from Beijing has stirred even more protestors advocating for freedom of speech. Yesterday, tens of thousands people turned up to protest for democracy within Hong Kong.
Aside from this, Hong Kong is a financial hub. Though it is small, our city is very well developed. The culture is a fine balance between old Chinese culture and Westernisation. From almost anywhere within Hong Kong, you can see old, shabby buildings and fluorescent Chinese signs juxtaposed against modern, towering skyscrapers. Hong Kong is also a great community because it is affluent and advanced. Hong Kong ranks the 4th highest country in terms of billionaires per capita. Recently, the government had such a large surplus that 6,000 HKD was given out to each citizen over the age of 18! I love Hong Kong because it is convenient to travel, and has it’s fair share of beautiful sites in the city and the countryside. The city is often bustling (especially during rush hours), but there are still spots in Hong Kong that remain serene and filled with nature in this concrete jungle. Hong Kong is a perfect balance of old and new, nature and urbanisation, Eastern culture and Western culture.