The public seminar is organized jointly with CPU. It is also co-organized by Civic Exchange, Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong, Hong Kong People's Council for Sustainable Development, Hong Kong Policy Research Institute Ltd. and SynergyNet. The joint organization of the seminar by government, business and professional sectors and NGOs actualizes the spirit for all these essential sectors of society to join hands in combating poverty.

We have invited three overseas speakers to speak on the international trends of and fight against poverty: Professor Peter Townsend, Ms. Jean Corston and Dr. Yap Mui Teng. Professor Townsend is of high renown in the analysis and measurement of poverty and in advocacy for eradiating poverty. Ms. Corston is the Chair of Parliamentary Labour Party in UK and also Chair of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights in Great Britain. She is therefore well acquainted with UK government��s work over eradiating / reducing poverty and social exclusion. Dr. Yap is a scholar in Singapore well versed in Singapore��s poverty issue.

The second part of the public seminar is a cross sectoral discussion session. Dr. Sammy Chiu will share views of those living in poverty on poverty itself and on ways to alleviate poverty. These views were collected from a series of focus group meeting and interviews attended by those living in poverty. Representative from our Council will talk on NGOs�� continuous effort in tackling poverty.

Some members of the five co-organizers are now attending poverty visits. They would then hold focus group meeting to examine and propose how business sector, professionals and other sectors could contribute to reducing poverty. A representative from this group will share the views in the seminar.