Contents About The Dragon Foundation.............................................................................................1 Board of Directors................................................................................................................3 Executive Committee ...........................................................................................................4 Programme and Fund Raising Committee ...........................................................................5 Message from the Chairman ................................................................................................6 Administrative Review.........................................................................................................7 Highlights of the Year...........................................................................................................8 Financial Highlights ...........................................................................................................17 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................19 Staff List.............................................................................................................................24 2 About The Dragon Foundation The year 2000 was celebrated both as the start of the new millennium, as well as the Year of the Dragon in Chinese culture. To commemorate this auspicious date, The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the All-China Youth Federation co-organized a project entitled, " Dragon at the Great Wall – Commemorating the New Millennium: a Vision for Youth ". What the project entailed was a Youth Conference on Meeting the Challenges of the New Millennium . The main theme of the Conference was Visualizing the Trends of Global Development and the Challenges of the 21 st Century and was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Conference was followed by more than three thousand Chinese youth from across the globe raising a 10,000-foot-long dragon on the Great Wall, successfully breaking the current Guinness World Record for the longest dragon dance. With community support and encouragement, The Dragon Foundation was set up and takes forward the aims manifested by the “Dragon at the Great Wall”. The Foundation was established in Hong Kong and inaugurated on 12 February 2000. The Honourable Tung Chee-hwa, the-then Chief Executive of HKSAR and the Honourable Elsie Leung, the then Chief Justice of HKSAR, officiated at the Inaugural Ceremony. The Foundation was incorporated under the Companies Ordinance and registered as a non-profit making, charitable organization. The fundamental objectives of the Foundation are to develop leadership skills and nurture the innovative and creative talents of ethnically Chinese youth from around the world, while also encouraging and facilitating the creation of exchange networks amongst them. The Foundation also nurtures a spirit of service and civic responsibility towards the community. It furthermore recognises the outstanding achievements of youth in various professions. A Board of Directors for the Foundation was set up, which includes representatives of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups and the HKSAR Government, along with prominent leaders from various sectors of the community. The Foundation’s Secretariat is administered by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups. 1 Vision To facilitate networks among Chinese youth worldwide; to promote Chinese culture and heritage and to instil in them a spirit of service and responsibility towards the communities in which they live. Objectives The Dragon Foundation aims: to develop leadership skills to establish an exchange network among Chinese youth to facilitate the development of innovative potential to provide opportunities and ways to participate in serving the community to honour outstanding Chinese youth in various professions 2 Board of Directors Honorary Advisor Professor Sir Harry FANG Sin-yang, GBM, KB, CBE, LLD, JP (deceased) Chairman The Hon. Sir YANG Ti-liang, GBM, JP Directors (in alphabetical order) Professor CHANG Hsin-kang, GBS, JP, Lég d’ Hon, FREng Professor Edward CHEN Kwan-yiu, GBS, CBE, JP (till 27 December 2008) Mr. Samuel CHING Kwok-ho (since 7 December 2007) Dr. Victor FUNG Kwok-king, GBS Mr. David LAN Hong-tsung, GBS, ISO, JP Mrs. Fanny LAW FAN Chiu-fun, GBS, JP (till 27 December 2008) Ms. Shelley LEE Lai-kuen, GBS, OBE, JP Dr. Leo LEE Tung-hai, GBM, GBS, OBE, Chev Leg d’ Hon, Comm Leopold II, LLD, JP The Hon. LEUNG Chun-ying, GBS, JP Mr. Richard LI Tzar-kai Dr. Vincent LO Hong-sui, GBS, JP Mr. Andrew MA Chiu-cheung, (since 27 December 2008) Dr. TAM Wing-kun, BBS, MBE, JP Dr. Lawrence T. WONG Dr. Rosanna WONG Yick-ming, DBE, JP Dr. YEOH Eng-kiong, GBS, OBE, JP Honorary Auditor Dr. Eric LI Ka-cheung, GBS, OBE, JP Honorary Secretary Mr. Lester Garson HUANG, JP 3 Executive Committee Chairman: The Hon. Sir YANG Ti-liang, GBM, JP Members: (in alphabetical order) Ms. Shelley LEE Lai-kuen, GBS, OBE, JP Mr. Andrew Ma Chiu-cheung Dr. Lawrence T. WONG Dr. Rosanna WONG Yick-ming, DBE, JP 4 Programme and Fund Raising Committee Co-Chairpersons: Mr. Wilfred NG Sau-kei, MH, JP Mrs. Nina LAM LEE Yuen-bing, MH Vice Chairpersons: Mr. Bunny CHAN Chung-bun, BBS, JP Ms. Shelley LEE Lai-kuen, GBS, OBE, JP Mr. MA Ching-nam, JP Dr. TAM Wing-kun, BBS, MBE, JP Members: (in alphabetical order) Dr. CHAN Kwok-chiu, MH Mr. Tenniel CHU Ting-yiu Mrs. Olivia DAVIES Miss Junia HO Suk-yin, JP Mr. Christopher LAU Kwan Mr. Alan LO Yeung-kit Mr. Stanley YEUNG Chee-tat 5 Message from the Chairman It is hard to believe that The Dragon Foundation is completing nine years of organising, nurturing, encouraging and serving young people of Chinese origin from around the world. The Foundation really has been blessed over the past years. In spite of economic difficulties, staff constraints and sometimes logistical hindrances, the programmes that we have organised have not only been well attended, but have also proved to be successful and informative according to participant feedback. For me personally, I am particularly appreciative of how the Foundation has inspired a new generation of young people to public engagement. By serving the community or building networks across countries and languages, these young people have made a difference. That they have also been enriched by learning more of their own cultural heritage and tradition speaks to the uniqueness of the Foundation and its mission. I am also deeply grateful to all our supporters, donors, friends and colleagues. Because of your great support of and trust in the work of the Foundation, we have been encouraged and thus enabled to carry out our varied programmes. Thank you very much. I would also like to thank all the young people who have participated in the programmes. By becoming involved, you have taken up the challenge of the Dragon. You have committed yourselves to service and leadership. This is a great, but noble, responsibility and I wish you all success in the future. Finally, to the staff and management of The Dragon Foundation; it is only by your hard work and dedication that The Dragon Foundation has been able to thrive for the past nine years. With your continued efforts and enthusiasm, I have no doubt that the Foundation will continue to grow and prosper for the next decade and beyond! Thank you too very much. May the Spirit of the Dragon live on! T.L. Yang 6 Administrative Review The Secretariat Manpower at the Secretariat remained stable this year, with a simple structure and efficient day-to-day operations. Financial Results The audited financial statements of the Foundation for the financial year 2008/2009 showed a total revenue of HK$ 9,205,760 against a total operating expense of HK$ 4,398,363, resulting in an excess of revenues over expenses of HK$4,807,397. The balance will be transferred to the Accumulated Fund. The total reserves of the Foundation as at 31 st March 2009 stood at HK$29,899,129. Details of income and expenditure can be found in the Auditors’ Report and Accounts. 7 Highlights of the Year 1. Dragon 100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum 2008 The Dragon 100 Young Chinese Leaders Forum is a flagship programme of the Foundation since 2002, bringing together 100 young leaders to reflect upon a specific theme, while also having the opportunity for travel, exchange and exposures. The theme for 2008 was “Thirty Years of Reform and Opening-up on the Mainland China”, focusing on the rapid economic development of the recent China. The participants were selected from nominations of local and overseas universities, organizations and businesses in 15 countries and places. The Selection Panel was led by Foundation Director, Mr. David Lan Hong-tsung. Members include Dr. Cherry Leung Yuen-yee, Honorary Consultant, Federation of Hong Kong GuangDong Community Organizations, and Mr. Stanley Yeung Chee-tat, Member of Programme and Fund Raising Committee of the Foundation. In August 2008, the Dragon 100 delegation went on a nine-day tour of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta Region with Sir T.L. Yang as its Delegation Leader, and Delegation Advisors including Dr. Rosanna Wong Yick-ming, Ms. Shelley Lee Lai-kuen, and Mr. David Lan Hong-tsung. Due to adverse weather conditions, the Opening Ceremony had to be cancelled. In spite of this, the Forum was well supported by Professor the Honourable K.C. Chan, SBS,