Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2001

When her children ha d come of age, Mrs. L i took up full time volunteer social service. Since 1961 she has been an active member of the Hong Kong Red Cross, having served as its deputy director and then director, and in 1976 she became an adviser to that organization. The Red Cross is an international charity that was founded i n 1919, while the Hong Kong branch came into being in 1950. It is founded with the objectives of maintaining and protectin g human life and dignity, delivering impartia l quality care and providing individuals with opportunities to help others and to help themselves, with a view to realizing its ultimate humanistic goals. Red Cross activities comprise both local and international relief work, such as tracing lost persons, blood transfusion services, care for the sick, and library services. I n Hon g Kong, the Red Cross organization runs hospital schools, special schools, and Shun Lee Hostel, serving the ol d and the infirm as well as providing first-aid training and rehabilitation services. A l l these enterprises make a heavy demand for volunteers, and Mrs. L i, since her first day with the Red Cross, has given herself entirely to its services and programmes. Some years ago, when Hong Ko ng experienced a specially ferocious typhoon, Mrs. L i personally took charge of relief work in the field, ignoring the torrential rain and strong winds around her. In recent years she took an active part in large-scale service programme s in China such as Project Hope, through which she hopes to contribute to the country's efforts in educating the young. Apart from Red Cross activities, Mrs. L i was for many years a member of the Executiv e Committee of the St. James' Settlement. She is a founding member of the Spastics Association of Hong Kong, and was the supervisor of the YWC A Hioe Tjo Yoeng College for many years. From 1988 to 1996 she was the president of the Young Women's Christian Association in Hong Kong. Since then, she has remained on the board as a director and is also the supervisor of the YWC A Athena Kindergarten. Mrs. L i has been commended many times fo r her active participation i n social welfare services: she was awarded badges of honour by the Hong Kong Re d Cross thrice, in 1983, 1987 and 1991, an d was made a Member of the Mos t Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1993. I n 1998, the University of Hong Kong made her an Honorary University Fellow. Mrs. L i has a warm disposition and a generous mind. A practising Christian all her life, she believes that Providence will help those who help themselves. She is convinced that a tolerant attitude, no t bothered by gain or loss, and fairness to all will help us overcome hardship and achieve success, and to be unperturbed in mind even when we are beset by difficulties. Mr. Vice-Chancellor, Mrs. Daisy L i has had a lon g and close association with this university, since her late husband, the Honourable L i Fook-shu, was appointed to the University Council in the early 1960s. I n more recent years Mrs. L i has given much appreciated suppor t to capital projects on campus, including the construction o f a student hostel at New Asia College, and various student activity schemes. Mr. Vice-Chancellor, today we honour a lady for her public and private virtues, for her dedication to social welfare, and for the role model she has set for the modern woman in keeping an impartial balance between services to the community and devotion to the family. May I now present Mrs. Daisy L i Woo Tse-ha for the award of the degree of Doctor of Social Science, honoris causa. Chinese Universit y Bulleti n Sprin g • Summer 2 0 00 SO