A talent quest contest for children of the non-Chinese communities took place at the Henry G. Leong Community Centre, Yau Ma Tei, on March 10 in a bid to bring fight crime messages to the ethnic minorities and promote social cohesion and harmony.

Organised by the Kowloon West Regional Crime Prevention Office and the Kowloon West Youth-Care Committee with the support of the Christian Action, the event drew 16 youth teams from Nepal, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Korea and Thailand. Over 600 members of the non-Chinese communities also showed up to support the event. With contestants' and spectators' colourful national costumes, customs and languages, the community centre was quickly turned into a mini-UN.

Members of each team did their best to show off their talents in singing, dancing, drama playing and reciting poems. At the end, the band, "Aurora", from the Youth Action Network of the Hong Kong Playgrounds Association won the contest with the rendition of a fight crime song, as well as a trophy and a $1,000 gift coupon.

The team from the Mei Foo Delia Memorial School came second with a performance of dancing and a drama, while the "Talent Hunt Group" clinched the third place and the "Best Costume Award" with a dance performance.

Both the "Greatest Creativity Award" and the "Smartest Concept of Fighting Crime Award" went to the "Criminals-Fighters", which comprised seven kids from different countries. Their performance included drama, songs, and poem recitals.

All prize-winning teams were awarded with trophies and cash gift coupons. The other teams were presented with $200 gift coupons and certificates as an encouragement.

Officiating at the event were Kowloon West Regional Commander Lo Yik-kee, Chairman of the Kowloon West Youth-Care Committee, Mr Chai Kwong-wah and Executive Director of the Christian Action, Mrs Cheung Ang Siew Mei.

Hong Kong Island Deputy Regional Commander John Bicknell acted as the Principal Adjudicator of the contest.

Other guests at the event included Chairman of the Sham Shui Po District Fight Crime Committee, Dr Chan Tung; Chairman of the Yau Tsim Mong District Fight Crime Committee, Mr Yip Wah; Head of Student Development Section of the Students Affairs Office of the Polytechic University, Mrs Winnie Lee; Assistant Executive Director of the Christian Action, Mr Kwong Fuk-sang, and a JPC Honorary President, Mr Saeed Uddin.

The event concluded with an exciting performance of artistic rope skipping by students from the Heung To Middle School. And each spectator left with a gift pack containing a crime prevention leaflet produced by Kowloon West Regional Crime Prevention Office, together with a phone strap, a photo album calendar given by the Christian Action, as well as toys and foodstuffs.

The talent quest contest brings fight crime messages home to ethnic minority children