If you are a resident of Southeast Asia or mainland China, and have a great idea to improve Hong Kong’s quality of life, you could win a trip for two to this world-class city. Starting March 1, you can visit the “World of Winners” splash page for your chance to apply. The competition will be run in three rounds, with Southeast Asian residents selected first, followed by mainland Chinese and then international applicants. The winning submission will be awarded HK$5000, and have the opportunity to present it to key stakeholders in the development sector.
Hong Kong is a vibrant cultural centre, and has a long history of attracting and supporting creative talents. The Hong Kong Arts Development Awards are the flagship events in the local arts scene, and give formal recognition to distinguished artists and groups who have contributed significantly to the development of various art forms over the years. Among the seven categories, the highest accolade is the “Sovereign Asian Art Prize”.
This year’s prize winners were announced on the final day of the two-week Man Literary Festival, and at the flag presentation ceremony of the Hong Kong delegation to the Paris Paralympic Games. The city’s Paralympic athletes are at their most competitive ever, and the government has raised the cash incentives to gold medallists in Paris to HK$6 million, up by 20 percent from Tokyo. The organisers also announced that they will provide portable air conditioners to all athletes, as temperatures in Paris are expected to be high.
The Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Prize is a grant scheme to recognise and encourage scientific research and technological innovation in the territory. The programme will be operated in line with scientific and rigorous standards, with a comprehensive review procedure to ensure that it is carried out professionally and objectively. The Selection Committee shall make independent judgments and objective evaluations based on the scientific value of the nominations, their transformation into useful products or services, and the social or economic value created.
James Pomfret is a Reuters Special Correspondent covering politics and policy in Asia, with a focus on Hong Kong and China. A two-time Pulitzer finalist, he has reported extensively on Beijing’s use of the law against its critics, and is the author of a groundbreaking series on the Hong Kong government’s censorship of online news. He was named the Hong Kong Journalist of the Year in 2019. His work has been recognized internationally, and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He has also been awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to journalism. He has spoken at conferences around the world, and is a regular guest on TV and radio programmes. He is a member of the International Press Institute’s Freedom to Report advisory board. He lives in London, UK.