Jockey Club supports Greater Bay Area Built Heritage Summit 2022 to promote heritage conservation

09/11/2022 11:35

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is pleased to support and be sole sponsor of the first Greater Bay Area Built Heritage Summit, which opened at Hong Kong City Hall today (9 November) to promote heritage conservation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The need to improve the preservation of cultural relics, including through technological innovation, was outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan, and the Summit will help further these objectives within the GBA.

The Greater Bay Area Built Heritage Summit 2022 is one of many initiatives supported by the Club’s approved donation of HK$630 million to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.

The two-day Summit, with free admission, features around 30 experts and scholars from the GBA who will share their experience in four areas, namely “New Development in Built Heritage Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of Historic Buildings”, “Knowledge Sharing & Public Engagement: New Strategies in Built Heritage Education”, “Application of New Technologies in Built Heritage Conservation and Education” and “Cross-Boundary Collaborations”. There is also an exhibition to showcase Hong Kong’s heritage, with interactive sessions for the public.

Club Chairman Michael Lee joined HKSAR Government Financial Secretary Paul Chan, Deputy Administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration Lu Jin, and HKSAR Government Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn as officiating guests at the opening ceremony of the Summit. Also attending online were the Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province Li Bin and the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government Leong Wai-man.

Club Chairman Michael Lee said The Hong Kong Jockey Club is honoured to sponsor this Summit, which facilitates exchange and cooperation in the conservation of built heritage in the Greater Bay Area. Over the years, the Club has spared no effort to support historical and cultural conservation, traditional cultural activities and related community education projects in accordance with its purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of our society.

Among the many projects the Club has supported are the restoration of the Hung Shing Temple in Kau Sai Chau; the renovation of the Fringe Club in Central; the conservation and revitalisation of Tai Kwun – Centre for Heritage and Arts, which was conceived on the 10th anniversary of the HKSAR; funding to construct the Hong Kong Palace Museum, which was announced to mark the 20th anniversary of the HKSAR; and the renovation of Heritage of Mei Ho House museum, which reopened last week.

Over the past 25 years, the Club has progressed with the community. As a world-leader in the sport of horse racing and one of the ten largest charitable donors in the world, the Club has increased its contributions to the community via its integrated business model. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is resolute in pursuing its purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of our society. Then, now, always, we are together with Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2021/22, the Club returned a total of HK$33.6 billion to the community. This included HK$27.0 billion to the Government in duty, profits tax and Lotteries Fund contributions and HK$6.6 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world’s top ten charity donors. The Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.