香港民研主席及行政總裁鍾庭耀，同時出任世界民意研究學會（WAPOR）會長。他在本年度的WAPOR周年大會主持最後一天的圓桌會議，探討民意研究如何盛載人文精神，是三個主題活動（Keynote Events）之一。
今屆周年大會的主題——民意研究的靈魂：自由權利（liberty）、專業素養（quality）、人文精神（humanity），延續鍾庭耀兩年前在WAPOR第75屆周年大會上的講辭。「75周年，是時候做一個歷史總結。我個人覺得，民意研究有三個核心價值：liberty、 quality、humanity，最核心的是humanity。」鍾庭耀說。
► 發布民調的自由 聲音被聽見的權利
周年大會上，一位主題講者首先就自由權利發表主題演講，討論為何及如何保護民調的自由。講者指出，民調的作用在於讓人們的聲音被聽見，而WAPOR自1984年發布《自由報告》，調查世界各地進行及發布民調的自由程度，指出這是WAPOR保護民調自由的一種方式。2023年的調查發現，由政府組織管制選舉民調的國家佔36%，比由專業組織管制（30%）更高，情況在非洲、拉丁美洲更為明顯。
另一位主題講者就「專業素養」作主題演講，較聚焦在民意調查的技術層面。講者強調民調質素之重要，在於量度真實的數值，指出高質素的量度方式應該是準確的、可信的、有效的，以至國際間的研究可以相互比對。
► 民意研究的人文精神 民意研究者的夙願
四日會期的最後一天，鍾庭耀主持圓桌會議。他表示：「若自由權利提醒我們所有人有被聽見的權利，而專業素養敦促我們在服務他人時採用最高標準，那麼人文精神必然為我們堅持自由和專業提供最終目的。」他們在席間談及民意研究如何緩解人類衝突、數據收集及存檔與人文精神的關係，以至表演藝術如何與民意研究相結合。
鍾庭耀相信，人文精神是民意研究最核心的一環。關於為何強調人文精神，他有一個沒有寫在WAPOR文件的原因：「我作為香港人參與WAPOR的工作，前前後後都20多年，現在擔任會長，適值香港自由的發展⋯⋯呈下降軌跡，我覺得香港人或者香港文化的出路，就是繼續維持我們的國際化。」作為扎根於香港的民意研究者，他希望與國際間的研究者共同努力，服務人類（humankind，鍾強調，這個字裏有hk）。
（香港民研編輯部）
轉載文章時請註明出處為「香港民意研究所」
Robert Chung, President and CEO of HKPORI, also serves as President of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR). He chaired the final day’s roundtable discussion at this year’s WAPOR annual conference, exploring how public opinion research embodies humanistic values. It was one of the three keynote events of the conference.
The theme of this year’s conference—The Soul of Public Opinion Research: Liberty, Quality, Humanity—builds on Chung’s speech at WAPOR’s 75th Annual Conference two years ago. “Seventy-five years on, it’s time for a historical review. Personally, I believe public opinion research has three core values: liberty, quality, humanity, with humanity being the most critical,” Chung remarked.
► Freedom to Publish Polls, The Right to Be Heard
At the conference, a keynote speaker addressed the topic of liberty, discussing why and how the freedom to conduct and publish polls should be protected. The speaker pointed out that the role of polls is to ensure people’s voices are heard. Since 1984, WAPOR has been issuing the “Freedom Report,” examining the degree of freedom in conducting and publishing polls worldwide. The 2023 survey found that 36% of countries have government bodies regulating election polls, compared to 30% regulated by professional organisations, and the situation was more pronounced in Africa and Latin America.
Another keynote speaker talked about “quality,” concentrating on the technical aspects of public opinion polling. The speaker emphasised the importance of high-quality polls in measuring true values, noting that quality measures should be accurate, reliable, and valid, allowing for international comparisons.
►The Humanistic Spirit of Public Opinion Research: The Aspiration of Researchers
On the final day of the four-day conference, Chung led a roundtable discussion. He stated, “If Liberty reminds us of all people’s right to be heard, and Quality urges all of us to adopt the highest standards when serving the people, then Humanity must have provided us with the ultimate purpose for upholding Liberty and Quality.” They discussed how opinion research could alleviate human conflict, the relationship between data collection and archiving with humanistic values, and how performing arts might integrate with public opinion research.
Chung believes that the humanistic spirit is the core of public opinion research. Regarding why he emphasises humanity, he shared a reason not explained in WAPOR: “As a HongKonger participating in WAPOR’s work for over 20 years, now as President, coinciding with Hong Kong’s declining trajectory of freedom… I feel the way forward for the people and culture of Hong Kong people is to maintain our international outlook.” As a public opinion researcher rooted in Hong Kong, he hopes to work together with international researchers to serve humankind.
(HKPORI’s Editorial)
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