On 19 January, representatives of the six religious groups in Hong Kong have jointly declared New Year greetings to the public.
Democracy in Hong Kong has provided space for it to develop to a society with a mix of religions; the six major religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Protestant, Catholicism, Muslim and Confucian.
Under the gloom of SARS disaster and economic downturn, the six leaders hope that the social and economical environment of Hong Kong will revive soon in the coming new year. They especially express their concern on the issue of rapid aging population. They urge the government to maintain the quality of social welfare to social minorities.
Concerning education, the leaders raise the importance of ethical and civil education among youngsters because they believe this will help to reduce social problems.
Moreover, the six leaders have stated their common goal in building a society of benevolence, harmony and unity through spiritual construction. Also, they hope the mass media can be more considerate and responsible when reporting in order to avoid information pollution.
Lastly, the statement is ended by a few words of encouragement, calling all the Hong Kong people to have faith and fight hard for the prosperous future of their families, Hong Kong and China.
The joint New Year greeting from the six religious groups was first started in 2001. Though many Hong Kong people criticized on it at that time, this greeting has brought lots of spiritual strength to Hong Kong throughout these difficult years.
