The Mid-Autumn Festival – the Tai Hang fire dragon dance, a local intangible cultural heritage (ICH) item, has been selected as one of the Remarkable Examples of Good Practice for Safeguarding the National ICH Items by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in recognition of the efforts of various sectors in Hong Kong in safeguarding this ICH item.
 
     The ministry launched the selection of the Remarkable Examples of good safeguarding practice by calling for nominations of the qualified ICH items from across the country in March this year. The ministry selected the outstanding items based on criteria such as whether the safeguarding work complied with the Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH adopted by UNESCO, respected the leading role of the bearers, and formulated and implemented targeted safeguarding measures according to the actual situations of the ICH items.
 
     Among the 347 nominated items, the Mid-Autumn Festival – the Tai Hang fire dragon dance has been awarded as one of the 50 items showcasing good safeguarding practice. The selected items have not only received high commendation from the ministry for the safeguarding work carried out in the regions, but also serve as role models for other ICH items of the same category.
 
     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has long been maintaining close contact with the related bearers and bearer organisation. A variety of public education activities have also been held regularly by the ICH Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, such as fire dragon crafting workshops, exhibitions and talks, allowing the bearers to introduce to members of the public the history of the Tai Hang fire dragon dance and its crafting techniques. With support from different sectors of the community, the Tai Hang fire dragon dance has successfully transformed from a district-based event into one of the most iconic festive events in Hong Kong.
 
     The Tai Hang fire dragon dance has been held for more than 100 years. Tai Hang was originally a Hakka village which reportedly once suffered from plague. Since the epidemic, villagers in Tai Hang have performed a three-day fire dragon dance to ask for blessings during the Mid-Autumn Festival in the eighth lunar month every year.
 
     With the founding of the Tai Hang Residents' Welfare Association, a successor system was established to pass on the knowledge and skills required for the fire dragon dance to the next generation systematically. The Tai Hang fire dragon dance was inscribed onto the third national list of ICH in 2011.
 
     For more information on local ICH and related activities, please visit the ICH Office's website at www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/ICHO/.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The Electoral Affairs Commission, after risk assessment, has decided to cancel the public forum on proposed guidelines on election-related activities in respect of the District Council Election, originally scheduled for today (June 25) from 7pm to 9pm at Quarry Bay Community Hall, 1 Greig Road, Quarry Bay, due to public safety and security considerations. Members of the public are urged not to go to the public forum. They can submit written representations on the proposed guidelines.
 
     "The public forum is organised by the Commission and members of the public are invited to express their views at the forum. The Commission has to consider the safety of all participants in the public forum. After risk assessment, the Commission has decided to cancel today's public forum," the spokesman of the Commission said.
 
     The proposed guidelines were released on June 11 for public consultation. The public consultation period will last for 30 days until July 10. Members of the public can submit written representations on the proposed guidelines.
 
     Written representations can be submitted to the Commission's Secretariat by post at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, or by fax (2511 1682) or email (eacenq@eac.hk) by July 10. Late representations will not be considered.
 
     For enquiries, please call 2891 1001.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

     Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 25) that due to an insufficient number of lifeguards on duty, the lifesaving services at Golden Beach, Cafeteria New Beach and Cafeteria Old Beach in Tuen Mun District are suspended until further notice.

     First aid service will be maintained at the beaches.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 25) that the Environmental Protection Department has classified the water quality at Lido Beach, Casam Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach in Tsuen Wan District as Grade 4, which means the beaches are not suitable for swimming. The red flags have been hoisted. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beaches until further notice.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Members of the public are invited to attend the Hospital Authority (HA) Board Meeting to be held on June 27 (Thursday) at 3.30pm. 
 
     The HA Board Meeting has been open to members of the public since 1998 to demonstrate the continuous efforts of the Authority to enhance its transparency and public accountability. The HA Board holds meetings at regular intervals to discuss major health policy issues which have impacts on the public.
 
     Through these open meetings, the community is able to understand more about the role and functions of the HA Board as well as the operation and services of the HA and its hospitals.
 
     The HA Board will discuss the following agenda items in the coming meeting:
 

• Annual Report on the Operation of the Community Care Fund Programmes;
• Annual Report on Public Appreciation, Feedback and Complaints Management 2018/19;
• Hospital Authority Patient Mobile Application (HA Go);
• Progress Report on Strategic Priorities; and
• Cluster Presentation Programme – Kowloon West Cluster – Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory – Clinical and Public Health Impacts.

 
     Meeting agenda and papers will be made available to the public at the meeting. Members of the public are reminded that they can attend the Board Meeting only as observers and will not be participating in the meeting discussions.
 
     Members of the public who are interested in attending the coming Board Meeting have to make advance booking by contacting the Secretariat of the HA Board at 2300 6797 during office hours. To facilitate booking arrangement, members of the public are advised to provide their name and contact telephone number. In view of the limited seating available in the Public Gallery of the meeting venue, seating will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.