The itinerants' itinerary was funded by the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights, a regional network of grassroots organisations and social workers seeking to improve the lives of the urban poor. Their trip follows a similar visit to Hong Kong last month by three homeless men from Japan and one from South Korea.

Attitudes evolved quickly during the exchange programme. At first, the Hong Kong participants themselves provided a classic example of the lack of co-operativeness and camaraderie they now hope to combat among their peers. They often tended to argue, held stubbornly to their own opinions and did not listen to each other's views.

'They were not united and refused to compromise,' nods Yuji Yamauchi, 51, an Osaka-based street sleeper who was part of the group that visited the SAR last month.

But the situation improved once the Hong Kong men saw how mutually helpful their Japanese and South Korean counterparts were, says Tim Pang Hung-cheong of the Society for Community Organisation, who led the locals on their mission to Osaka.

'They came to understand the importance of solidarity, respect and communication by watching the other teams,' he says. 'Gradually, they formed into a unified group.'

By Tuesday, the final day of the programme, Mr Chung, Mr Leung and Mr Wong were ready to commit themselves to founding an organisation in Hong Kong to fight for homeless people's rights.

There were 1,150 street sleepers registered in Hong Kong as of March, although those officially registered with welfare organisations and government departments might represent only half the actual number.

Mr Chung lays out the work ahead with the air of a seasoned organiser. 'First of all, we have to think of a name for the association,' he says. 'Then we have to visit the street sleepers in different places, let them know we now have our own union, and attract people to join us. We must be united and maintain regular contact to arouse concern in society [about the problems of homeless people].'

But the three men hold no illusions about the difficulties that lie ahead. After all, one reason homeless people in Japan are relatively well organised is because they were forced to become so due to adverse circumstances.

On February 17, 1994, street sleepers in Tokyo, whose ranks had swelled after Japan's 'bubble economy' collapsed in 1990, were forcibly evicted from their tents. That date marks the beginning of Japan's homeless movement. The forced removals triggered a general movement of 'workers without shelter', and a court eventually ruled authorities could not take down tents occupied by people.

Organising under two main slogans - 'Protecting our lives ourselves' and 'No one is left to die on the street' - homeless people in major Japanese cities have learned to co-operate. Their efforts focus on daily activities: shared cooking, security patrolling, negotiating with welfare officials, and 'visiting' colleagues in hospital or at new locations, counselling each other about private matters, and discussing ways to make improvements.

'Street sleepers in Japan and Korea strive for a place in society,' Mr Chung says approvingly.

Empowered by this example and the morale boost generated by the exchange programme, he and his Hong Kong colleagues are upbeat about forming a homeless people's movement in the SAR.

But Mr Pang, the community organiser, is more circumspect. Although South Koreans routinely take to the streets to voice their views about various social issues, he notes such activity is rare in Hong Kong, where people seem to lack a collective identity.

'Individualism is becoming stronger and stronger in Hong Kong,' Mr Pang says. 'People only care about their own welfare, their own matters. And, often, they interpret issues from a purely economic point of view.'

In addition, he says, differences in the living patterns of Hong Kong's homeless compared with their counterparts in Japan and South Korea might make cohesiveness difficult to build among the SAR's street sleepers.

Homeless people in Japan and Korea can stay settled in regular places, where they can develop a sense of community. For example, 12 people living in tents in a Japanese park will share food. If one finds a job and has some money, he will share with the others, knowing that they will do the same another day. In Hong Kong, however, street sleepers can rarely stay in a fixed place.

'They might need to move from place to place,' Mr Pang says.

'It is hard to form a community, a neighbourhood, in which they can share and help each other.'

He believes Hong Kong's fledgling homeless movement will need public support.

'We have observed there is a strong commitment from citizens in South Korea and Japan to help deprived groups,' Mr Pang says. 'They not only offer financial assistance to the movement but also join it physically.

'Hong Kong people need to reflect on their attitudes about vulnerable groups, who not only need financial support but also care and respect.'

He says the Society for Community Organisation will help homeless people in forming an organisation of their own, to look after their rights and needs. 'It is good they have at least taken the first step,' Mr Pang says. 'We have no idea how far we can go, but at least we should give it a try.'

Mr Wong, a member of the Hong Kong delegation who has been sleeping at the Cultural Centre for the past six months, is optimistic.

'When we are only one or two, we have no power,' he says.

'But if we are 100, we are powerful. And if we are 1,000, we are even more powerful.'