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Jockey Club funds History of Hong Kong TV series II

07/12/2010

With a heritage almost as long as Hong Kong’s, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is firmly committed to helping conserve local history. In its latest venture, the Club’s Charities Trust has again funded Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) to produce second series of ‘History of Hong Kong’ that uses computerised special effects to reconstruct historic sites and events, taking the audience back to Hong Kong’s early days.

Today (7 December), the Club’s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So, Director of Broadcasting Franklin Wong, Development Bureau Commissioner for Heritage Laura Aron, Hong Kong Memory Project Senior Consultant Dr Elizabeth Sinn, Hong Kong Lingnan University Hong Kong and South China Historical Research Programme Co-ordinator Dr Lau Chi-pang and Chinese University of Hong Kong History Professor Ho Pui-yin officiate the launch ceremony at Kowloon Walled City Park.

Mr So noted that heritage preservation was very high on the Club’s agenda which had donated more than HK$1.3 billion to support the projects in the areas of conservation, arts and culture development through its Charities Trust. “We hope the Hong Kong History Series will help the public better understand their local history and strengthen their passion for their home city.”

Apart from heritage conservation, Ms Aron stressed the importance of revitalisation. She encouraged the students to experience the historic sites in person to gain a better understanding of the place they call home.

Students from Tang King Po School and Kowloon Technical School showcased models of four historic buildings - Wan Chai Market, Tsang Tai Uk, Lui Seng Chun, Kai Tak Airport and their surroundings, and shared the design concept and conservation plan with Dr Elizabeth Sinn and Douglas So. Guest artistes also discussed the history of Kowloon Walled City and shared their childhood memories.

The Hong Kong History Series is part of The Hong Kong Memory project to conserve our heritage digitally.  Series II comprises 10 half-hour episodes to be broadcast every Friday on TVB Jade and RTHK’s website (http//tv.rthk.org.hk) from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm, starting from 10 December. Audiences can review the programme online at RTHK. 

The first episode this Friday showcases the making of the programme and features Jockey Club Chairman T Brian Stevenson explaining the Club’s long-standing support for the preservation of culture and history, hence commissioned The Hong Kong Memory project and the History of Hong Kong series.  The ninth episode highlights the early British culture, and the introduction of club culture such as the Jockey Club and other clubs in Hong Kong.

The rest of the episodes will focus on Government Hill and the early colonial administration from 1842 to the eve of World War II; the occupation of Hong Kong; the reform movement and Kang You-wei; western religion and Hong Kong education; strikes; the origin and development of the Kowloon Walled City and Tiu Keng Leng; and the southbound literati. 

Photo exhibitions will also be held at public libraries and Admiralty MTR station to promote the programme.  Further details of the History of Hong Kong Series II can be viewed on the programme website starting from 10 December - http://rthk.hk/special/hkhistory2010.

Conceived as Hong Kong’s response to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Project, which aims to preserve historical records through digitalisation, The Hong Kong Memory project was established with a Jockey Club Charities Trust donation of HK$80 million and is jointly run by the Jockey Club and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

In 2006, the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong was appointed to develop the digital collections and web interface of the project. The website will start to demonstrate and share cultural memories with the public in late 2011.

The first series of the History of Hong Kong was broadcast in 2008 to wide acclaim, being voted the city’s tenth Best Television Programme, while one episode received the Advisory Panel Commendation Award in the 2008 TV Programme Appreciation Index Survey.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has become one of Hong Kong’s best known and respected organisations, providing the public with world-class sporting entertainment as well as being the city’s major non-Government community benefactor, now donating more than HK$1 billion a year to charitable and community projects.  It has been a part of Hong Kong through good times and bad, sharing the city’s growth and development with its people, and is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for future generations.

The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So hopes the Hong Kong History Series will help the public better understand their local history and strengthen their passion for their home city.
Photo 1:
The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So hopes the Hong Kong History Series will help the public better understand their local history and strengthen their passion for their home city.

Director of Broadcasting Franklin Wong (right) presents a souvenir to the Club's Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So to thank the Jockey Club!|s support which makes the second series of !¢DHistory of Hong Kong!| possible.
Photo 2:
Director of Broadcasting Franklin Wong (right) presents a souvenir to the Club's Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So to thank the Jockey Club!|s support which makes the second series of !¢DHistory of Hong Kong!| possible.

Development Bureau Commissioner for Heritage Laura Aron (right) stresses the importance of revitalisation in addition to heritage conservation. She encourages the students to experience the historic sites in person to gain a better understanding of the place they call home.
Photo 3:
Development Bureau Commissioner for Heritage Laura Aron (right) stresses the importance of revitalisation in addition to heritage conservation. She encourages the students to experience the historic sites in person to gain a better understanding of the place they call home.

The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (2nd from left), Director of Broadcasting Franklin Wong (3rd from right), Development Bureau Commissioner for Heritage Laura Aron (2nd from right), Hong Kong Lingnan University Hong Kong and South China Historical Research Programme Co-ordinator Dr Lau Chi-pang (1st from right) and Chinese University of Hong Kong History Professor Ho Pui-yin (1st from left) officiate the launch ceremony of the second Hong Kong History Series.
Photo 4:
The Club's Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (2nd from left), Director of Broadcasting Franklin Wong (3rd from right), Development Bureau Commissioner for Heritage Laura Aron (2nd from right), Hong Kong Lingnan University Hong Kong and South China Historical Research Programme Co-ordinator Dr Lau Chi-pang (1st from right) and Chinese University of Hong Kong History Professor Ho Pui-yin (1st from left) officiate the launch ceremony of the second Hong Kong History Series.

Photos 5/6/7/8: Students from Tang King Po School and Kowloon Technical School share the design concept and conservation ideas of four historic buildings with the Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (Photo 6, 1st from right), Hong Kong Memory Project Senior Consultant Dr Elizabeth Sinn (Photo 8, 2nd from left), Hong Kong Lingnan University Hong Kong and South China Historical Research Programme Co-ordinator Dr Lau Chi-pang (Photo 5, 3rd from right) and Chinese University of Hong Kong History Professor Ho Pui-yin (Photo 5, 4th from left).
Photo 5:
Photos 5/6/7/8: Students from Tang King Po School and Kowloon Technical School share the design concept and conservation ideas of four historic buildings with the Club!|s Executive Director, Charities, Douglas So (Photo 6, 1st from right), Hong Kong Memory Project Senior Consultant Dr Elizabeth Sinn (Photo 8, 2nd from left), Hong Kong Lingnan University Hong Kong and South China Historical Research Programme Co-ordinator Dr Lau Chi-pang (Photo 5, 3rd from right) and Chinese University of Hong Kong History Professor Ho Pui-yin (Photo 5, 4th from left).


Photo 6


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Photo 8

Group photo.
Photo 9:
Group photo.

 

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