Kick-off Ceremony of diversAbility-a festival for All

The Ceremony will kick off the "diversAbility - a festival for All" March 2016 at HKUST. We are honoured to have Prof Kenneth Kuen Fung SIN, Director, Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education; and Professor, Department of Special Education and Counselling at The Hong Kong Institute of Education (click here to learn more about Prof. Sin) to give a keynote speech on “Maximizing the Talents of SEN Students”. The speech is followed by a sharing by Ms Lillian LI, co-founder of Silence (click here to learn more about Silence), on a story of a university graduate with hearing disability. Dr Ferrick Chu, Director of Policy, Research and Training of Equal Opportunities Commission (click here to learn more about EOC), will be joining the event as our Guest of Honor.

Light meal refreshment will be served after the ceremony.

Please contact Ms Nilam Chan at (852) 3469 2497 or nilamchan@ust.hk for enquires.

About Prof. Kenneth SIN, Kuen-fung

Prof. Kenneth SIN, Kuen-feng is the Director of the Centre for Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Education and the Professor of the Department of Special Education and Counselling at The Hong Kong Institute of Education in Hong Kong SAR, China.  In 2013-2015, he was once conferred with the title Professor (Practice) for his excellence and leadership in teacher education in inclusive education over the years. His expertise and research lie in the area of emotional disorders, learning difficulties, autism, assistive technology in special needs and professional development in inclusion.

He has great consultancy experience in many local research projects as well as the training work for teachers teaching children with disabilities in Mainland China and Macau. Prof. Sin also takes part in many community activities, in relation to special needs and inclusion, including school supervisor or council members of special schools, task groups in giftedness, inclusion, special needs in EDB, CDI and HKEAA, committee members in many NGOs for persons with visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disabilities and autism. He is the vice chairman of the Hong Kong Special Education Society. Currently, he is leading researches on special needs and large projects on school based support in inclusive schools, teacher empowerment in BEd programs and special needs training in China. These are respectively funded by RGC of UGC, The Hong Kong Jocey Club Charities Trust, Lee Hysan Foundation and Tin Ka Ping Foundation.

About Silence

The founding of Silence starts with the story of Li Ching – a youth with hearing disability. On March 1st, 2008 Li Ching leapt to her death out of unbearable frustration.  Those who know Li Ching describe her as someone that is full of passion in life, an accomplished artist and chess player.  However, because of her hearing disability she was often misunderstood and despite her talent and university credentials, she was never able to find gainful and meaningful employment.

In order to commemorate Li Ching and her everlasting spirit, her family along with a group of enthusiastic volunteers decided to form “Silence” in July 2008.  By establishing Silence, they aim to turn sorrow into strength – to serve the needs of the hearing impaired, to promote a barrier free society, and continue the unfinished path walked on by Li Ching.

About Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)

EOC is a statutory body charged with the mandate to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status, pregnancy, disability, family status and race, as well as to eliminate sexual harassment, and harassment and vilification on the ground of disability and race.  The EOC promotes equality of opportunities between men and women, between persons with and without a disability, persons of different races and irrespective of family status.  It is the EOC’s vision to create a pluralistic and inclusive society free of discrimination where there is no barrier to equal opportunities.