Make a Difference (MaD) Forum 2014
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About the Event
Written by Ivy WONG (FS2010-11, The University of Hong Kong)
On 10-12 January 2014, 24 Fung Scholars participated in the “Make a Difference” (MaD) Forum under the sponsorship of the Victor and William Fung Foundation. The theme this year was “The Fifth Direction”, highlighting the creative initiative to go beyond the four existing cardinal points while marking the fifth anniversary of the Forum.
This year, the Foundation sponsored Pankaj MISHRA as one of the featured speakers at the Opening Ceremony. Mr MISHRA is a writer and public intellectual from India whose writings cover a range of political, cultural and social issues in Asia today. During his address, he discussed the implications and significance of the rise of Asia and its impact on the global scene.
During the three day long programme, participants attended talks, creative workshops, outdoor forums and excursions that explored a variety of issues pertinent to today’s global society, including the notion of open data, the widened conceptualization of art and culture and environmental and social sustainability.
The Forum this year also came with a twist – instead of having the participants pre-register online for sessions and workshops, Make a Difference participants (MaDees) were each given a dish or glass in different shapes and sizes that served as an admission ticket to particular activities. Faced with the limited number of programmes, participants were encouraged to exchange their containers with others in order to share the opportunity to learn and interact with different speakers.
The Forum provided an open platform for passionate, like-minded change-makers from all over Asia to interact and exchange ideas. It was also a chance for Fung Scholars to meet kindred minds from different cultures, institutions and fields and to build new friendships. More importantly, it sowed seeds of inspirations among our members that have the potential to grow into big ideas, or even steer them in the Fifth Direction in their future endeavors.