Letters | More intercultural dialogue can make Hong Kong safer for all

Readers discuss the need to fight stereotypes and build an inclusive intercultural community, how library books should be stacked, the effectiveness of Western sanctions against Russia, and the hyped-up Indian stock market

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On August 21, 2021, Hong Kong charity WISE HK (Women in Sports Empowered) runs sport coaching classes for students from the Integrated Brilliant Education Limited, an institution which aims to serve students from non-Chinese-speaking
communities. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:30am, 18 May 2024

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The recent case of vandalism targeting the homes of ethnic minority families in a Kwai Chung housing estate may well be an isolated incident. The despicable acts, which included leaving waste and rubbish outside flats and hurling bags filled with water from a height at children who were playing, have no place in Hong Kong. Police have since arrested an individual suspected of carrying out these acts.

While these incidents are rare and extreme, and would no doubt be universally decried by all Hong Kong residents, I wonder if stronger community cohesion could further prevent future occurrences. At the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), we have long pushed for more platforms to encourage social interactions of people from different cultural and ethnic communities, which can make the shift from parallel existence to harmonious, respectful and enjoyable coexistence.

Having a friendly chat with a neighbour, classmate or fellow passenger in everyday settings is a powerful first step to dispelling biases and misconceptions that may have formed through years of social conditioning.

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21 serves as a timely reminder of the need for more understanding and cooperation to bridge cultural divides. First declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2002, following Unesco’s adoption of the 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, the day serves to highlight not only the richness of the world’s cultures, but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.

We need to facilitate more people-to-people interactions to build connections. In my conversation with Kowloon City district councillor Dr Rizwan Ullah, also a member of EOC, he attributed his fluent Cantonese and understanding of local culture to his childhood friendship with ethnic Chinese kids he met at neighbourhood football pitches. His story speaks to the power of sports in breaking barriers and cultivating a sense of belonging.