Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak today led more than 20 young United Nations (UN) volunteer interns on a visit to the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OCMFA).

Miss Mak and the interns met OCMFA Deputy Commissioner Fang Jianming during the visit.

The interns will begin six-month voluntary placements in UN agencies in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Nepal, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam next month, under the United Nations Volunteers - Hong Kong Universities Volunteer Internship Programme.

The programme involves a total of 25 placements this year, with sponsoring agencies including the UN Development Programme, the UN Children’s Fund, and the UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization.

Miss Mak thanked the OCMFA for supporting the programme and helping to arrange today’s visit.

She highlighted that this year’s programme has been expanded to cover more countries along the Belt & Road region, adding that the response from young people had been enthusiastic, with applications nearly doubling from last year.

Miss Mak said she hopes the interns can use the experience to broaden their perspectives and better understand China’s contributions to and influence in the world, whilst taking the opportunity to tell good stories about Hong Kong.

The programme was launched in collaboration with the UN Volunteers organisation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government provides funding support to local university students to undertake voluntary placements with different UN agencies.

By doing so, it hopes to help these students develop their personal capabilities and expand their horizons, and to give them opportunities to contribute to the international community as Chinese youth volunteers.