STORY: Hong Kong students to leave for Beijing for Young Astronaut Training Camp 2023
DATELINE: July 26, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:25
LOCATION: HONG KONG, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/TECHNOLOGY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of a send-off ceremony
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): TIMOTHY HO, The Curator of Hong Kong Space Museum
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NGAI YIU TUNG, Student of the Training Camp
 
STORYLINE:
 
A send-off ceremony for the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2023 was held at the Hong Kong Space Museum on Tuesday. Thirty selected local secondary students will set off for Beijing on July 29 for an eight-day training programme.
 
Addressing the send-off ceremony, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, Chan Kwok-ki, said that the HKSAR government is fully committed to implementing the strategy of invigorating the country through science and education.
 
The Young Astronaut Training Camp, which started in 2009, has seen 330 students join the programme. The camp opened for applications in May. More than 160 applicants from about 100 local secondary schools went through three rounds of selection, which involved a test on astronomy and space science, a three-day pre-camp training and an interview. Finally, 30 students from Secondary 2 to Secondary 6 were chosen as Young Astronauts.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): TIMOTHY HO, Curator of Hong Kong Space Museum
"We want them to learn more about China's new exploration projects such as the moon and Mars (missions). So they can explore their mind and learn not only the main space and also we will go to the Mogao Caves to learn more arts."
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NGAI YIU TUNG, Student of the Training Camp
"I hope I can get to Mars one day but before that I think this will be a great experience for me to be there and learn about the environment of Mars."
 
The training camp is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in association with the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. The training camp is implemented by the Hong Kong Space Museum and sponsored by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hong Kong, China.
(XHTV)