Recognition from Partners
Gender Parity in Germany - Current Situation and Strategies
March 8, 2022
“Thank you very much for preparing today's event with and for us. It was great fun - of course also because the exchange with Almuth Meyer-Zollitsch was such a good fit.”
Stefanie Seedig
Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Hong Kong SAR
“Thanks for this initiative and the excellent preparation of the discussion - this combination with Stefanie Seedig was an excellent fit and very inspiring!”
Dr. Almuth Meyer-Zollitsch
Director, Goethe-Institut Hong Kong
“It was a very informative talk. Both speakers and presenters are good role models. I found the content very motivating, especially for women who want to combine work and family. Thank you very much for organizing!”
Laura Lau
Attendee
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WORKSHOP - From Bystanding to Bravery
Practical Dialogue Tools for Challenging Micro-aggressions and Building a Gender-equal Workplace Culture
May 14, 2021
“The online workshop was fast-paced and engaging, and a joy to deliver. Audience members took every opportunity to comment on the forum theatre, to ask curious questions about the tools and techniques for tackling Bystander behaviour, and to reflect on the practical application of the ideas in their own life and work.”
Sally Dellow
Director, Dramatic Difference
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Women, Language and the Media: Understanding the Issues and Taking Action to Create a Gender Equal Narrative
February 2, 2021
“I was delighted to participate in the Knowledge Exchange Series on Gender & Language organised by the Committee on Gender Equality & Diversity at HKU. Well organised and reaching a diverse audience, this Series serves as an important bridge between gender equality practitioners and the general public—enabling greater engagement and discussion around gender-related issues that affect all of us.”
Lisa Moore
Director of Research, Advocacy and Communications
The Women’s Foundation (TWF)
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Film Screening: Zen in the Ice Rift / Panel Discussion with Director Margherita Ferri and Lead Actress Eleonora Conti
November 5/6, 2019
“The screening of ‘Zen in the Ice Rift’ and the panel discussion with director Margherita Ferri and actress Eleonora Conti was the first event I co-organized as Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong. The movie was presented for the first time at the Biennale Cinema in 2018 as a part of the Biennale College Cinema, a programme aimed at promoting young directors. Margherita and Eleonora, who had never come to Hong Kong before, were very impressed by the level of the cultural exchange and interactions they had with scholars and students. I'm very grateful to the Hong Kong University and CGED for organizing with short notice the event.”
Mr. Stefano Fossati
Director, Italian Cultural Institute Hong Kong
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SUSI Film Screening & Panel Discussion
September 15, 2019
“On the 15th of September, HKU and ThinkYoung co-organised a Mid Autumn Migrants Festival to celebrate the contribution of migrants to the city of Hong Kong. We screened an ethnofiction on migrant domestic workers. The projection was followed by a panel discussion on the situation of migrant women workers.
We had a lot of positive feedback on the movie and the panel from the audience, especially from the domestic workers who were there. That feedback is particularly valuable for us since the film is still a work in progress and we want it to be the medium for the domestic workers to express themselves, to empower them and portray as accurately as possible what they experience. The panel was also very appreciated by the audience and the panelists who were able to share their knowledge on the issue of the migrant women workers condition. The reception also enabled the formation of an informal Q&A and a feedback session about the movie with the audience while enjoying Indonesian food.
The event was a success for us because many Indonesian domestic workers came. We really feel that the event served its main purpose to gather migrants in Hong Kong who didn't have their family to spend the Mid Autumn festival with. It was also a way to raise awareness on the migrant women workers situation and the abuse they suffer. It was great for us to get the impressions of the audience on the movie as it is still a work in progress.”
Ms. Mariline Robert
Project Officer, ThinkYoung
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Closing the Gap: A Cross-Disciplinary Panel Discussion on Gender Equality in Hong Kong
June 25, 2019
“I was pleased to participate in a panel discussion organised by the University of Hong Kong's Committee on Gender Equality & Diversity (CGED) entitled ‘Closing the Gap: A Cross Disciplinary Panel Discussion on Gender Equality in Hong Kong’ in June 2019. It was gratifying to see the CGED take the lead on hosting a cross sector conversation traversing many facets of gender equality. This discussion provided a much needed platform for diverse perspectives to be considered and heard, and I look forward to seeing the CGED's continued initiatives in the gender equality and diversity space.”
Ms. Fiona Nott
CEO, The Women's Foundation
“It was great to hear from a panel of diverse speakers, from business to academic of different life stages, on the personal challenges they have faced with gender inequality and how they handled them. Thanks for having me.”
Ms. Fion Leung
CEO, Time Auction
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Finding Kukan: A Film Screening, Commentary and Audience Q&A with Dir. Robin Lung
May 20, 2019
“It was a real privilege to visit Hong Kong University and share FINDING KUKAN with your students and faculty. The post-film discussion made me realize how much female filmmakers have in common with each other around the world.”
Ms. Robin Lung
Film Director
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#WontBeErased: Protecting LGBTQ Youth from Conversion Therapy
May 6, 2019
“On 6 May 2019, Sam Brinton attended a fire chat in the Hong Kong University with Dr Alvin Wong and Dr Brenda Alegre to share with the teachers and students on the topic called '#WontBeErased: Protecting LGBTQ Youth from Conversion Therapy.'
Leading up to the flagship event 'An Evening of Solidarity' at Chater Garden on May 17, Pink Alliance held a series of activities such as talks at local Catholic school, bisexual movie screenings and public talks by anti-gay conversion therapy activist and nuclear scientist Sam Brinton. Artwork featuring homophobia and biphobia as well as stories from bisexual individuals were also featured on social media, as which told of their journeys and experiences.
In Sam’s teens, he went through sessions of the therapy. He was shown pictures of homosexual activities with a dose of electricity passing through to shock him. After the therapies, he was depressed. He also committed suicide. More than a decade after the traumas, when he hold hands with his husband, he may still feel the electric shock. The cruel fact is that 50 out of 60 youngsters who went through the anti-gay conversion therapy committed suicide within a year.
So what does he do to end this? Sam is running a free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth in crisis. He is also involved in advocating the banning of the therapy in the US. In the talk, he provided us an overview of the pros and cons of having various legislative frameworks in the US and the reasons behind the civil and criminal penalties against different groups of people and professions involved in the industry. The therapy is still practicing in some states in the US and many other places and countries, including Hong Kong. By telling us his stories, Sam wanted the LGBTQ youth to know that there are people in the world doing all kinds of work it takes to end the therapy. Be it education, policy making or legislation, we are moving forward.
We at Pink Alliance are grateful for the University of Hong Kong to provide the venue for the public talk and the contribution of Dr. Brenda Alegre and Dr. Alvin Wong as moderators. We are also in deep gratitude for the support from the US Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau.”
Ms. Benita Chick
Founder and CEO, Encompass Hong Kong
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Melon@HKU Women in Science Fiction
March 22, 2019
“Melon 2019 proved once again to be highly successful. Award-winning writers, high profile filmmakers and innovative scientists from China, France, the UK and the United States gathered in Hong Kong to talk about the latest in science fiction and filmmaking as well as the real world of science. This year’s theme, “aliens on the galactic Silk Road”, inspired the audience to be highly engaged during Melon and afterwards. In partnership with Hong Kong University, Melon also brought together prominent female writers to discuss gender in science fiction. These prominent writers included newcomers such as RF Kuang and veterans Jo Walton and Aliette de Bodard, who very recently was awarded a Nebula for Best Novel.”
Mr. Frederick Demopoulos
Founder, Melon
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Dykes, Camera, Action! Film Screening and Q&A with Director Caroline Berler
March 14, 2019
“Upon returning home, Ms. Berler shared with her colleagues the uniqueness of the global student teaching site in Hong Kong and in particular the Hong Kong University. We did really enjoy well-received screening of 'Dykes, Camera Action' movie and post-screening discussion with students about their own perspectives on the subject. We continue to be impressed with the professionalism the cooperating professors and students bring to the table. Not only are they totally prepared to share their thoughts and observations about LGBT culture in Hong Kong and it's role in filmmaking industry in general, we found them to be very open minded and nice people. Hope to have a next event co-organized with Hong Kong University soon.”
Ms. Caroline Berler
Film Director
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Screening of #Female Pleasure and Discussion on Women’s Rights
March 8, 2019
“It was an honor and a great pleasure to be invited to speak at the HKU-EU Film Event, a fine event designed to mark and celebrate International Women’s Day. It was a very meaningful occasion - the programming was very fine, and clearly very thoughtfully prepared: the film was extraordinary, the speakers judiciously selected, and the audience very engaged and supportive. The hosts were marvellous, as was the fine hospitality. All in all, this was truly a memorable event and I must congratulate everyone who was involved in designing and implementing the programme.”
Prof. Mett Hjort
Chair Professor of Humanities, Dean of Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University
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Spots of Light: Women in the Holocaust Exhibition
February 13-26, 2019
“The Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre was delighted by the encouraging turnout at the ‘Spots of Light: Women in the Holocaust’ exhibition opening held in February 2019 at the HKU, our partner for the event. This exhibition’s focus on women’s experience during the Holocaust through their stories and thoughtful written reflections helped illuminate and personalize the Holocaust. During the exhibition, it was indeed very nice to meet a diverse audience of academics, students and interested community members, including some who previously had no significant exposure to the Holocaust. It was therefore especially meaningful to have such a wide mix of audience to participate.”
Mr. Simon Li
Director of Education, Hong Kong Holocaust and Tolerance Centre
“The woman in the Holocaust is a great exhibition, if you have the chance to go and visit I would really recommend it, especially if you are a woman, or are interested in the topic and would like to know some more about it. This exhibition explains a lot about how women lived during this horrific period of time and about their stories. We usually hear the stories from men, so hearing some stories from women was both different and interesting. I feel like this exhibit impacted me and my classmates because we got to see how women used to live their lives and what they had to do and make to survive.”
Student, Grade 9, Elsa High School
“In the Women’s Holocaust Exhibition we learnt a lot about what women went through. It showed us that they had courage, strength and power. We read about their stories and we saw what they experienced from a different perspective. It allowed me to realize how much they struggled in the Holocaust, and how lucky we are to not go through something as hard as that. It is very important to visit and participate in these events because it teaches us, as a younger generation, to learn about history. Especially as Jews, it is very important for us to see what our people went through not even a hundred years ago, so we can teach our children what these women suffered to save their children and families.”
Student, Grade 9, Elsa High School
“The Women in the Holocaust event, for me, was a very interesting exhibition. It showed me what women in the Holocaust experienced on a daily basis. This is very interesting, as I generally only heard about stories of men in the Holocaust and how they either escaped or were brutally tortured. I found the event to be important because it allowed for people to learn about stories that otherwise they may not have heard of. The exhibition was simple, understandable, progressive, and well displayed. It allowed me to learn about stories in an informational and genuine way.”
Student, Grade 9, Elsa High School
“I’ve always been told to read about different stories from the Holocaust. However, this is my first time being introduced to so many different stories of women during the Holocaust at the same time. These stories were sorrowful and made me realize how privileged am I. All of these brave women suffered through events we will never be a part of and their stories should be remembered and passed down. While reading through these stories, I learned more about the role women had played during the Holocaust. This made me appreciate how strong and courageous women can be. I believe that it is important for us to visit and participate in such events to remember history and these people, to be aware of what happened during the Holocaust and to avoid these tragedies happening again.”
Student, Grade 10, Elsa High School
“This exhibition was one of great significance to many as it was to me, personally. It highlighted the renewed importance of remembering the atrocious events of the Holocaust, and functioned as a reminder that hate escalates only if it is unchecked. This exhibition taught us that we remember in order to carry on the stories of those who couldn’t live to tell them; to respect the victims of the Holocaust, and to do our part in ensuring that no one will ever experience such hatred and darkness ever again. This exhibition did that, all while shedding light on a few of the many unsaid stories of some of the true heroes - the women - of the Holocaust; people who ensured that such hate did not go unchecked. It wasn’t through violence and protest that these heroic women resisted against the atrocities of the Nazis but through the consistent projection of values such as faith, love, friendship, and motherhood. In this manner they managed to bring some light to the darkness which had enclosed the lives of Jews throughout Europe. These women, despite all they were going through, never gave up on their values - teaching us the importance of standing up for one's morals and values regardless of how dark a situation may seem.”
Student, Grade 10, Elsa High School
“As a Jewish woman, he HKU exhibit of Jewish women during the Holocaust was especially touching. Reading the personal stories of each of the women that gave me a new understanding of the Holocaust. The horrors committed towards the Jewish people during this period suddenly seemed more real, more personal. I felt more of a connection to the pain that they felt. Sharing their stories humanized them and we need to continue to tell the stories of these women because that is its own kind of revenge upon the Nazis, who attempted to dehumanize and eradicate the Jews.”
Student, Grade 10, Elsa High School
“This past February the grade ten class went on an outing to HKU's Women and The Holocaust memorial exhibition. The exhibition highlighted womanhood during the Holocaust and showcased what it meant to be a woman and a mother during this time. The exhibit had a deep impact on me, it opened my eyes to elements about the Holocaust that are not always considered. For example, the exhibition showed how, because of the lack of basic everyday items, the women in camps had to make bras out of pockets and barbed wire. When I think of the Holocaust I often do not consider the smaller things that were taken from these women. This exhibition reminded me of how these simple things that I view as a basic necessity such as a bra were stripped from the female victims of the Holocaust. The exhibition was a true lesson in gratitude and taught to not take the small things for granted. The exhibit showed me how some women in the holocaust made combs out of barbed wire in order to do the simplest task of grooming themselves. Their femininity was stripped from them, little things that brought them womanhood were taken from them. Seeing all this allowed me to take a step back and appreciate the little things like my mother brushing my hair with an actual brush.”
Student, Grade 10, Elsa High School
“I was given to opportunity in February to visit HKU’s 'Spots of Light: Women In The Holocaust' exhibition which showcased how women endured the Holocaust, not as passive victims but as active participants in the struggle for dignity and survival which strongly emphasised the breadth and endurance of the human spirit. The exhibit's impact made me reflect upon my role in society and how I contribute to it. It was upsetting to read about the stories which negatively affected human life so immensely. Why would an event occur which resulted in such catastrophe? We can learn about the facts and figures, however, the numbers will never represent the individuals who faced such trauma. Today, we take for granted the time we have with our parents and rather answer them with 'fine' or a shrug when asked how things are; however, we should really take time to appreciate this communication. This exhibit taught me about the importance of staying positive in life, not taking things for granted, as well as being grateful for the life we have and the care we are under. History is an important part of the Jewish identity as we mostly reflect upon our history to go forth with our future and to, hopefully, make the right decisions in life. It is important to learn history's lessons to ensure an atrocity like the Holocaust never happens again and so hopefully, one day we can live in a happier world.”
Student, Grade 10, Elsa High School
“I believe that the Women in the Holocaust exhibition is quite relevant to our lives. Not only people of Jewish descent should listen to the stories of the Holocaust, but everyone should know about the atrocities that happened during World War II so it can never happen again. I found this specific exhibition different to others I have seen in the past as it focuses solely on women. My great aunt was a survivor of the Holocaust and I have listened to how she sacrificed so much to make sure that her siblings were safe. While she sadly passed before I was born, after this exhibition I felt closer to her from having heard the stories of other women who sacrificed themselves to help others.”
Student, Grade 10, Elsa High School
Click here for the event information.
Achieving in Academia and Wellbeing
December 6, 2018
“It was wonderful to be among friends at Hong Kong and be able to open up on matters that deeply concern all of us but that rarely surface in discussions held in work environment. I learned so much from the attendees, as new aspects of each person opened up for me in the course of the day.”
Professor Dina Iordanova
Professor of Global Cinema & Creative Cultures, University of St. Andrews
Click here for the event information.