Do you want to tell us about an event at your school? Send us your report using this form.
Have you been to Chungking Mansions? In October, students from Quarry Bay School went there to learn more about refugees in Hong Kong.
Chungking Mansions might look like an ordinary shopping mall, but inside, it is packed with people from over 120 different nationalities, many of them refugees and asylum seekers, socialising together and running businesses.
A refugee is a person who has fled their home because of concerns for their safety.
They may have left their homes because of war or because they are targeted for their gender, religion or political views. They often go to a different country to seek protection and permission to stay. Before they receive legal protection, they are referred to as an asylum seeker.
You might think Chungking Mansions is unsafe, but it has 440 cameras, and people are constantly watching them. You can sample foods from many different countries. During the tour, students tasted Indian tea and a yoghurt drink called mango lassi, which seemed to be a favourite.
Christian Action, located on the 16th floor of the building, teaches refugees how to cook, make jewellery, and much more. Visiting the agency helped our students better understand how tough it is to be a refugee and how hard it is to be recognised as one. The tour showed us that we should appreciate our lives and that we are lucky to have what we do. It also taught us just how different people’s lives can be.
