Five primary school students from Hong Kong participated in a four-day cultural exchange programme from July 18 to 21, which allowed them to learn about Malaysia outside the classroom.
They visited schools, host families, local communities, as well as several cultural, educational, and heritage sites around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, in addition to interacting with local students and youth.
Through direct experiences and cross-cultural interactions, they can gain a deeper understanding of Malaysia's cultural diversity, historical heritage, and the uniqueness of its communities, while also broadening their international perspectives and fostering respect for cultural diversity and a spirit of global citizenship.
Organised by Junior Chamber International City (JCI City) of Hong Kong and co-hosted by its sister chapter, Junior Chamber International Petaling Jaya (JCI PJ), the Junior Dragon Ambassador Malaysia Exchange Programme combined school engagement, cultural discovery and environmental education. The programme was designed to help the young participants develop cultural awareness, confidence and a broader international outlook through direct interaction with Malaysian students and youth.
JCI PJ President, Gabby Wong, said the visit gave the children an opportunity to understand Malaysia through the people and communities that shape it. 'For the children, this was more than an overseas trip. By learning, sharing meals and spending time with local families and students, they discovered how meaningful friendships can grow across different cultures,' she said.
The delegation comprised Ho Tsz Yau of Wong Tai Sin Alliance Primary School; Leong Lok Yiu of Buddhist Chan Wing Kan Memorial School; Ou Yan Pui Bonnie of Po Leung Kuk Grandmont Primary School; Chu Chung Yan Erin of S.K.H. Yan Laap Memorial Primary School; and Lam Suet Yiu of Central and Western District St. Anthony's School. The ambassadors were accompanied by guardians Winston Law and Dicky Chan.
The programme's centrepiece was a school exchange at SJK(C) Chiao Nan in Kuala Lumpur, where the visitors were welcomed by Principal Puan Wong Ai Ling, Senior Assistant for Student Affairs Loke Mei Wei, teachers and pupils. The visit created a shared learning space in which children from Hong Kong and Malaysia could connect through culture, communication and friendship.
Puan Wong Ai Ling said exchanges of this nature help narrow the distance between young people from different places. By meeting their peers and seeing how they learn and live, she said, pupils gain perspectives that cannot be acquired from textbooks alone.
A spirited 24 Festive Drums performance opened the school programme before SJK(C) Chiao Nan pupils took on the role of campus guides, introducing their guests to the school's history and culture. Student reporters later interviewed the ambassadors in the broadcasting room, giving pupils on both sides an opportunity to practise public speaking, questioning and spontaneous communication in a relaxed setting.
The exchange continued over a Malaysian lunch featuring bak kut teh, nasi lemak, roti canai, char kway teow and rendang ayam. More than a meal, the spread offered the Hong Kong pupils an accessible introduction to the traditions and influences that make up Malaysia's multicultural food heritage.
Food also became a practical entry point for environmental learning. In a workshop led by Foo Ching Yee, founder of O Sentai Enterprise, pupils explored the links between nutrition, eating habits and the ecological impact of the food they consume.
Using the ‘Food Winner’ card game based on Malaysian cuisine, the workshop turned ideas such as food conservation, waste reduction and low-carbon eating into an engaging shared activity. The session reflected the 2026 programme theme, 'Children Join Hands for a Resilient Future', which encourages young people to connect everyday choices with wider environmental responsibility.
As long-standing sister chapters, JCI PJ and JCI City have worked together to create opportunities for international understanding. For this visit, JCI PJ coordinated the local programme and reception, enabling the ambassadors to experience Malaysia through school life, community activities, cultural dinners and stays with host families.
Gabby Wong said the programme's value lay in the relationships formed through those everyday experiences. The children not only shared Hong Kong's culture and environmental initiatives with their Malaysian peers, but also encountered local approaches to sustainable living and community engagement.
'International awareness begins when children are given the confidence to ask questions, listen to one another and recognise that different ways of life can still be connected by shared values,' she said.
Discovering Malaysia Through Its Communities
The wider itinerary allowed the ambassadors to discover Malaysia through its neighbourhoods, heritage and creative communities. Their visits included the Sak Dato Temple in Broga, Feng Ying Restaurant Broga, the KL Durian Experience Centre (KLDEX), Craftiviti, Play! Klang and historic sites around Klang, as well as Central Market, BookXcess and landmarks in Kuala Lumpur's Petaling Street precinct.
At KLDEX, the children learned about the cultural significance of durian, widely known as Malaysia's 'King of Fruits'. In Klang and Kuala Lumpur's historic quarters, local architecture and community stories offered a window into the country's development and the multicultural heritage created by generations living alongside one another.
Hands-on activities, including a candle-making workshop at Craftiviti, complemented the heritage visits, while welcome and farewell dinners brought the delegation together with JCI members, sponsors and host families.
By the end of the four-day visit, the participants had formed friendships through shared experiences rather than formal introductions alone. The exchange also strengthened the sister-chapter relationship between JCI PJ and JCI City and established a platform for future youth and children's programmes between Hong Kong and Malaysia.
The Junior Dragon Ambassador programme traces its roots to the Asian-Pacific Children's Convention, established in 1989 to bring together children from different countries, faiths and cultural backgrounds. Its exchange model combines host-family stays with cultural and community activities, allowing participants to build independence, communication skills and international friendships through lived experience.
In 2026, nearly 100 pupils aged around 11 were selected from primary schools across Hong Kong to serve as Junior Dragon Ambassadors. Following a programme of training and learning activities, they represent Hong Kong overseas while developing leadership qualities and a stronger sense of social responsibility.
This year's theme, 'Children Join Hands for a Resilient Future', places particular emphasis on environmental challenges and sustainable development. By combining cultural exchange with practical learning, the programme aims to nurture young people who care about their communities, understand their responsibility to the environment and are prepared to engage with the wider world.
