Fifteen "Youth Ambassadors Against Internet Piracy" (Youth Ambassadors) departed Hong Kong today (March 28) for a three-day visit to Zhaoqing to enrich their understanding of the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) on the Mainland.
The study tour, jointly organised by the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Intellectual Property Department (IPD), is aimed at promoting respect for IPR and cultivating positive values among youngsters.
The Youth Ambassadors, who were nominated by their respective uniformed youth groups, attended a selection interview with a judging panel comprising representatives from the C&ED and IPD. Fifteen of them, aged from 14 to 21, who impressed the judging panel with their whole-hearted commitment to IPR protection, were selected for the study tour to Zhaoqing with full sponsorship.
During their stay in Zhaoqing, the Youth Ambassadors will have dialogues with officials from IPR-related government agencies as well as teachers and students of a local secondary school, to gain an in-depth understanding of IPR protection on the Mainland. After returning to Hong Kong, they will share their experiences with other members of their youth groups to promote the importance of IPR in society.
Head of Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau of C&ED, Mr Andrew Ki, said, "The promotion of creativity and respect for IPR are very important for the sustainable development of our society. The C&ED and IPD have jointly organised various activities for the general public, especially on the cultivation of awareness of and respect for IPR among youngsters. We trust that the Youth Ambassadors will benefit from the study visit."
He said that the department would continue to collaborate closely with IPR holders and take rigorous enforcement action at different levels to tackle piracy and counterfeit activities.
The Youth Ambassador Scheme was established in 2006 by the C&ED with the support of the IPD and seven copyright owner organisations. Some 200 000 members of 11 local uniformed youth groups were recruited as members of the scheme.
Apart from monitoring infringement activities on the Internet, the Youth Ambassadors also help to publicise and promote the importance of IPR protection. They are encouraged to set a good example to others by refusing to get involved in infringement and counterfeiting activities, and to share the positive values of IPR with their friends and families.
Ends/Thursday, March 28 2013
