The International Child Protection, ICP, Dinner was held on 7th May at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center in order to raise funds for the International Social Service Hong Kong, ISS HK’s cross-border work helping children from families divided by geographical boundary. The event raised 1.2 million Hong Kong Dollars.

The event was well attended by representatives of consulates, business leaders, senior government officials and other local and regional community leaders in Hong Kong.

Guest of Honour, Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBS, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare commended the work ISS HK has done over the years.

“ISS-HK has done an outstanding job as a first-class non-governmental organisation providing a wide spectrum of humanitarian work which literally knows no boundaries of all kind,” Mr. Cheung said in his remarks. 

“Through our International Child Protection service, we help hundreds of children and families each year, who are separated by international borders as a result of family disputes, organized crime, international conflicts and get caught up in highly complex legal problems over which they have no influence,” Mr. C.P. Ho, ISS HK Chairman said in his welcoming speech.

The service provides assistance with international childcare arrangement to cases such as Chinese families living overseas and mixed marriage couples in mainland China. The funds raised in the inaugural International Child Protection dinner last year helped ISS-HK to set up the first International Child Protection office in Shenzhen.

During April 2014 - April 2015, ISS-HK has handled 447 intercountry and cross boundary cases in total. 364 of which are cross boundary cases between HK and China, 53 of which are Intercountry cases between Hong Kong and overseas and 30 of which are between China and overseas.

The proceeds of the event, less the operating expenditure, will all go towards helping ISS HK’s cross-border for international child protection service. These funds help maintain and secure a vital service for which ISS HK receives no funding. 

  
ISS was established in Switzerland in 1924 with the initial aim of reuniting families torn apart by the First World War and is now present in over 120 countries across all 7 continents.

Since 1958, ISS HK has a truly unique role carrying out specialized work to protect children and bring families together on an international scale. It is the only non-governmental organization locally that helps reunites families in cases that involve Hong Kong, China and other countries. Its work is widely recognized by local authorities, major NGOs and other ISS members.

Mr. C. P. Ho, Chairman of ISS HK, has recently been elected as the chair of the ISS Governing Board. He is the first Asian to head ISS in its 90 years of history. He succeeds Mr. Bob Miles of the US. A newsman-turned- businessman (Reuters and TVB), he has been active in ISS matters both in Hong Kong and abroad since 1999. 

(7-5-15)