Dateline Hong Kong, a Working Fellowship for Canadian journalists, is jointly organized by the Canadian Association of Journalists and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG).

The annual event offers two working journalists the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the HKSAR. The package offered includes a business class return air ticket between Canada and Hong Kong, six nights' hotel accommodation inclusive of taxes, service charges and breakfast and round trip airport transfer.

In addition to visiting places of interest, winners will be able to meet people of diverse view and cultural background, such as Canadian business people, politicians and senior government officials.

The first-hand experience is also a memorable experience as witnessed by previous winners of the Fellowship.

Liane Faulder of Edmonton Journal, winner of Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship 2000 wrote on her return: "While spending is the national pastime, visitors to Hong Kong can escape the consumer frenzy and enjoy a collection of rich travel experience for (relatively) small amounts of money �."

"The difficulty with shopping at one of Hong Kong's many open air markets is to decide whether to buy at the first one you visit �. the answer, naturally, is to purchase something everywhere you go �. With low market prices, it's not much of a strain and will prevent shoppers from kicking themselves later when they discover some items are quite unique."

Writing in the National, March/April 2001 issue, which is published by the Canadian Bar Association, Bob Neufeld, also winner of 2000, said: "Despite its transfer from British to Chinese sovereignty in July 1997, Hong Kong has retained what the Heritage Foundation, an American economic think-tank, calls 'the freest economy in the world'.

"It's a financial magnet, drawing those who see opportunity and challenges from all over the world - including Canada."

After conducting a series of interviews with lawyers in Hong Kong, Bob Neufeld quoted in his article: "Some high-profile legal cases, such as last year's re-interpretation of the Basic Law that denied thousands of Chinese migrants the right to remain in Hong Kong, have created a sense of unease in some circles �.

"Nevertheless, most international observers agree that China's approach to Hong Kong has been largely consistent with its promise to provide the former British colony with a high degree of autonomy in its domestic affairs. 'The Hong Kong press has been just as outspoken as ever regarding what's going on here and on the mainland,' Tsang (Muriel Tsang, a lawyer with Boughton Peterson Yang Anderson) says."

"And Hong Kong's independence from China is also evident in the one area that matters most to its inhabitants: the economy ....."

Other recipients of the Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship include:
1999		Catherine Pope, BCTV and Janis Cleugh, Tri-City News, Coquitlam, B.C.
1998		Stephen Ewart, Energy Writer, Calgary Herald and Theresa Lalonde, CBC Radio in Windsor
1997		Tony Wong, Toronto Star and Kwoi Gin, freelancer

Don't miss the chance of this personal experience and apply now. Remember, the closing date is August 10, 2001.

For more details of the Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship, please refer to the advertisement on the Notice Board of this website (hot link) or visit the Canadian Association of Journalists site at http://www.caj.ca.