HKU Conference: Hong Kong Political Reform Series: Breaking the Deadlock. October 2009

In 2004 the National Democratic Institute (NDI) collaborated with the Centre for Comparative and Public Law (CCPL) to sponsor the first of a series of events in the NDI’s Developing Political Parties program.

Hong Kong Political Reform Series

This was expanded in 2009, when the NDI partnered with the CCPL to launch the Hong Kong Political Reform Series, a conference series that promotes dialogue on political reform among different sectors of the Hong Kong community, including citizens, politicians, academics, and think-tanks.  Source: http://designdemocracy.hk/about-us/?lang=en

The following conferences/seminars were held in this series:

·         Breaking the Deadlock. October 2009,

·         Will it Break the Deadlock? January 2010,

·         Deadlock Broken – What Next? November 2010,

·         New Voices on Hong Kong Political Reform. February 2011,

·         What is Happening to Our Political System? April 2012.

In terms of this partnership, the NDI got access to the name, brand and reputation of HKU to legitimize and expand their programs, whilst Professor Johannes CHAN continued in his role of powerbroker in Hong Kong politics. 

Some of the ‘guests’ at these events were also prominent journalists and political commentators, which allowed the NDI to control the narrative by subverting the press in Hong Kong.

Conference poster

Conference details

Date: 10 October 2009

Venue: Meng Wah Complex, HKU.

Organisers: CCPL, NDI and Centre for Civil Society and Governance.

Guests

·         Sir David Akers-Jones, President, Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong;

·         Prof Joseph CHEN, Director for Centre for Civil Society and Governance;

·         Prof CHAN Kin-min, Committee Member, Democracy Development Network;

·         Prof Michael DeGolyer, Director, Hong Kong Transition Project;

·         Audrey EU, Legislative Councillor, Leader, Civic Party;

·         Prof Yash Ghai, Former Chair, Kenya Constitution Review Commission and Kenya National Constitutional Conference;

·         Cyd HO, Convenor, Pan Democratic Camp;

·         Emily LAU, Legislative Councillor, Vice Chair, Democratic Party;

·         Steve Vines, Political Commentator;

·         Prof Simon YOUNG, Director, Centre for Comparative and Public Law.

Conference photographs

The following are some of the photographs taken at this conference:

Professors Johannes CHAN (centre) and Simon YOUNG

Emily LAU, Audrey EU, Professor Richard Cullen and Cyd HO

Cyd HO, Convenor of the Pan-democrats

Audrey EU, Leader of the Civic Party

Emily LAU, Vice Chair, Democratic Party

Allan LEONG Ka-kit, Civic Party

Journalist Steve Vines with Belinda Winterbourne of the NDI

Journalist Steve Vines

Photo credits

Hong Kong Political Reform Series: Breaking the Deadlock. 10 October 2009 

See link: http://www.law.hku.hk/photos/2009oct10/index.htm