“Happy New Year! I Wish you a prosperous year!” This greeting is commonly heard during the joyful New Year. However, have you ever thought about the meaning of prosperity?

Students may think that prosperity is a huge word which applies to the whole of society. We all wish Hong Kong to be a place of prosperity and stability in terms of wealth and greatness. However, Dr. Kevin Downing, the Residence Master of HSBC Prosperity Hall, explains “Prosperity” in a different way. He believes that prosperity means the riches acquired when you share with others, just as Prosperians share their daily trials and happiness with one another in a harmonious way. They help each other to prosper and enjoy living as a sharing community.

“Although we come from an entirely different environment, we feel ourselves to be part of the hall. We are glad to make new friends with other local Prosperians in such a harmonious environment”, said Glory, an exchange student from mainland China living in Prosperity Hall. Actually, exchange residents are motivated by the active, outgoing local Prosperians to support different hall activities, such as sports, language and cultural activities. Through joining a variety of activities, Prosperians from different parts of the world are given opportunities to understand each other better and thus develop cross-cultural and life-long friendships. Prosperity Hall resembles our society, in which every person embraces and learns from cultural diversity to develop a way of living out prosperity.

The prosperous lives of exchange students are further enhanced by the joyful involvement of local Prosperians. Local Prosperians stated firmly and with shining happy smiles on their faces that “prosperity” means happiness and health in their minds. Whenever there is any festive celebration, Prosperity Hall is beautifully decorated by happy Prosperians working hand in hand as they go to great lengths to create a warm atmosphere in the Hall.

Both local and exchange students nurture diversity with their unlimited support and active involvement in hall activities. As a result, what comes with diversity in Prosperity Hall is nothing but prosperity - the quality that makes its residents true Prosperians.