Welcome message by Mrs. Patricia Chu
Time really flies as it is almost 4 years since the successful inauguration and inaugural Symposium of CIFA at the University of Hong Kong in January 2008.Those who have attended the 2nd Regional Symposium held in November 2010 at the beautiful campus of the University of Tokyo, Japan witnessed another very important event of CIFA when they strengthened friendship, exchanged and shared professional knowledge, experience and wisdom. It is again time for me to invite you to the 3rd Regional Symposium to be held from 11th to 13th December, 2012 at the National University of Singapore.(NUS).
As we all know, many places in the Asian Region have been facing great challenges brought about by rapid social changes, man-made and natural disasters, resulting in deterioration of human relationship and malfunctioning of families; breaking up of the family system, loss of loved ones and home; unemployment and poverty. Government, together with the private and the third sector, has to work hand-in-hand by formulating effective policies, developing innovative measures and providing timely support and intervention to address these issues. Professionals and families have to create a dialogue and be engaged in the process of building resilience and healing. We need the commitment and close collaboration of all to rebuild the family system and enhance family functioning. Each one of us at CIFA has an important role to play, in our own families, organizations, society and the region as a whole, to make the world a better place for everyone.
I am delighted that CIFA is co-organizing this Symposium with the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society and the Social Work Department of the NUS, with the full support of the Singapore National Council of Social Service. This demonstrates the continuous regional efforts, through the CIFA platform, to come together and collaborate for promoting the well being of families.. I am particularly thankful to Dr. Lee Ngak Siang for co-chairing the Organizing Committee with me, Dr. Rosaleen Ow and Dr.Lee Wai Yung for co-chairing the Scientific Committee. I am sure, with their unfailing efforts and input, the Symposium will be a success.
I look forward to a fruitful and exciting Symposium, with your full support and active participation.
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Mrs. CHU YEUNG Pak Yu, Patricia, BBS
Chairperson
of CIFA
Co-chairman of Organising Committee
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Welcome message by Dr. Lee Ngak Siang
Singapore will be the host city for the next CIFA Regional Symposium which will be held from 11 to 13 Dec 2012. Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society (THKMS) is delighted to co-organize this event with CIFA and the Social Work Department of the National University of Singapore (NUS) with full support from the National Council of Social Service (NCSS), Singapore.
For the past few years, the family system in the Asian Region faced a lot of challenges. Economic downturn, financial crisis, inflation, political instability, natural disasters and man-made tragedies threatened the wellness and functioning level of each family. It is time for us to meet together again through the platform of CIFA Regional Symposium to re-visit the effectiveness of our policies and our intervention programmes to support families and share how we can be more innovative and creative to develop programmes to promote the wellness and strengthen the resilience and functioning of our families in the Asian Region.
Those who have attended the previous successful symposiums in Hong Kong and Tokyo respectively in 2008 and 2010, should not miss the upcoming one in Singapore in 2012. We will continue to invite world class keynote speakers, policy-makers, experienced practitioners and academia to share their thoughts and experience with us. Furthermore, we will bring in more speakers and participants from the two regions that did not participate actively in our previous symposia, i.e. ASEAN countries and Mainland China.
Please block you diary for the Symposium and watch out for our announcements at the Symposium website which will be out by Oct 2011. We look forward to your full support and active participation at the Symposium in Singapore.
Last, but not the least, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Patricia Chu, Chairperson of CIFA, for co-chairing the Organizing Committee with me, Dr Rosaleen Ow, Department Head of Social Work Department, NUS and Dr.Lee Wai Yung of HKU Family Institute for co-chairing the Scientific Committee, and, Ms Ang Bee Lian, CEO of NCSS for her full support. I am confident that, with the support and active participation of all, we can make the upcoming CIFA 3rd Regional Symposium another successful milestone in enhancing the well being of the families in the Asian Region.
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Dr Lee Ngak Siang
Co-chairman of Organising Committee
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