Last week in Hong Kong, long time democracy advocates - including Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung - were found guilty of inciting subversion. Along with hundreds of others who were part of the 2019 protests against the Extradition Bill, they have been in jail for many years, imprisoned under the Chinese National Security Law.
Samuel leads a discussion to try and digest what their sentencing means to him, as someone that has not only been inspired by both of these leaders, but has had a long close relationship with Lee Cheuk-yan since he was a child.
In the conversation w explore what their experience might teach us about the qualities that shape why we try to make a difference.
We look at a new book - On Courage by Julia Angwin and Ami Fields-Meyer - and debate its claim that to make a difference requires personal acts of courage and bravery.
In reflecting on Lee and Chow's experience we countenance a different way to look at the qualities we might need to make a difference. We explore whether courage is perhaps best seen as something gathered with others rather than simply a personal quality. Rather than the idea that we need more courage - perhaps we need stronger and better organisations that can help nurture our sense of power and courage together.
The article in the Guardian about Chow Hang-tung is here.
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The Campaign for Hong Kong: https://www.thecampaignforhongkong.org
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Her new books are called People Power in Cities & Conscious Tribes: thinking differently about making a difference.