第2章 Preface by Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung

I am a regular visitor of iBakery, a social entreprise employing persons with disabilities operated by Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs). The café is located on the ground floor of the Central Government Offices in Admiralty. When I go there, I often see a friendly foreign lady with a beaming smile, getting along well with the staff. I think to myself: It is so clever of TWGHs to recruit a foreigner with brilliant management skills to promote business and integration between the able-bodied and persons with disabilities.

Later I learn that this foreign lady who blends well with the iBakery team is not a highly-paid manager, but an exemplary volunteer who contributes her effort and time to promoting the well-being of the disadvantaged. With immense enthusiasm, this French lady travels every week from her home in Tai Po to Admiralty to offer help at iBakery, including teaching English to the team. This lady of exceptional kindness and compassion is Christine, the wife of Professor Cheung Yan-leung, who is the President of the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

Mrs. Cheung strongly believes in and is fully dedicated to fostering cultural integration. She is a shining example of Hong Kong's diversity and cosmopolitanism–a vibrant city where the East meets the West. She also typifies many Hong Kongers who have been committed to volunteering in a quiet way. In 2015, the Social Welfare Department reported a record high of over 1.26 million volunteers, 2,800 participating organisations and 22.4 million hours of volunteer service.

From Mrs. Cheung's portrayal of Hong Kong life, I hope readers would re-discover this unique city–a place filled with kindness and excitement, and a home that they would cherish, protect, and appreciate.

Matthew Cheung Kin-chung

Secretary for Labour and Welfare

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government