From diplomacy to sustainability to author talks, virtual events bring real joy

By Ema Poposka

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, schools have been closed for more than three months and students have had to quickly switch and adapt from face-to-face classrooms to virtual ones. However,  school classes were not the only ones affected. All RCHK after-school activities, like debate clubs, drama clubs, sports and other interest activities were cancelled or had to find a way to shift to virtual environments. 

After-school activities are the place where like-minded students can meet and further develop their interests, learn from peers and spend time on something they really enjoy. Thus, resuming them as virtual events was better than cancelling them completely, and it sometimes even gave students the flexibility to attend some events they would otherwise miss.

This year it was my first time to join the Renaissance College Model United Nations conference and learn more about global issues and how to solve them. I joined the team and learned new skills from my peers that will help me grow into a responsible global citizen. I was assigned as a delegate to the European Union Committee and represented Germany. However, with the closure of the school, the club stopped meeting and the final event was postponed and nearly cancelled. Nearly, because eventually, the organizers decided to host the event on Zoom. 

The two topics tackled by the EU were migration and digital transformation, both very relevant global problems that need real-life solutions. Taylor Chung, the Secretary-General of RENMUN V explained that “hosting the event via Zoom allowed delegates to work together much more easily, it ensured productivity and allowed effective collaboration between delegates.” However, he added that “the Zoom conference wasn’t without its difficulties as it was the first-ever online conference.” He expressed his thanks to the Red Door team who allowed the use of the Green Screen Room and helped set up the conference. 

I am so happy I got to experience RENMUN. Although I was in my bedroom, I could still see the stunning UN’s General Assembly Podium in the background. 

Another organization whose events I follow and attend because I learn a lot from them is Encompass Hong Kong. This organization promotes the Sustainable Development Goals and their implementation in all aspects of life in Hong Kong. The CEO, Benita Chick, decided to move to online webinars and sharing sessions. Because of Covid-19, Benita has held online talks on climate change, Hong Kong biodiversity, marine biodiversity and Hong Kong insects. I attended two of them: the first one in celebration of fifty years of Earth Day and the second to celebrate World Ocean Day. I learned a lot about what we can do to protect the natural habitats and all living beings. Each event was attended by about twenty people and the interaction between the speaker and the participants was generally very good. 

“I still believe a live event is better for interaction,” said Chick. “I do try to include some elements like Kahoot and Mentimeter so I can have interaction with the audience”, she explained. However, Chick also stressed that the online event allowed Encompass Hong Kong to reach an audience they would not normally get to reach, as some of them are from overseas, and that they would continue organizing online events even after Covid-19 is over, though less frequently. 

If you have read any of my other articles in RCHK Truth you will know that I like reading and do not miss a chance to attend an event featuring authors and books. Every year in March I attend the Hong Kong Young Readers Festival. However, this year the Festival got cancelled because of the Covid-19 scare. It eventually happened in June in a virtual environment with authors’ giving talks on Zoom. Live events were held online by Hong Kong author and illustrator duos Sarah Brennan and Harry Harrison, and Anna Tso and Joanne Lo. 

And it wasn’t only Hong Kong, events got cancelled and moved online everywhere around the world. Authors who had books coming out this year had their book promotion events cancelled and could not meet with readers and talk about their stories. However, some of them quickly learned the benefits of using technology and social media to reach out to their readers. For example, Kelly Young, the author of the bestseller Front Desk, started weekly Instagram life events to talk about creative writing, book publishing and all things book related as a way to promote her new book Parachutes. Kelly Young is originally from Hong Kong, she now lives in San Francisco, California. Although I had to wake up really early in the morning to listen to her Instagram talks, if it wasn’t for online events like this due to Covid-19, I wouldn’t have had a chance to travel to any of her book events, listen to her talks, and get to ask her questions.