Hong Kong – Speech by Acting SCST at 16th Asian Film Awards (English only)
Speech by Acting SCST at 16th Asian Film Awards (English only)
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Following is the speech by the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, at the 16th Asian Film Awards today (March 12):
Dr Wong (Chairman of Asian Film Awards Academy, Dr Wilfred Wong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. It is my great pleasure to join you all, at the ceremony of the 16th Asian Film Awards (AFA).
Tonight, I am also an actor, acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, who is out of town. Obviously, I am not as professional as many of you here, for I still need my cue cards to remind me of my script. Therefore, I dare not aim for any award tonight, but just hope that you will bear with my amateur performance on stage.
Ladies and gentlemen, AFA is a celebration for filmmakers, who have contributed to the Asian film industry, and it has a special bond with Hong Kong. Inaugurated in Hong Kong in 2007, AFA has become an international film event, and has built up its brand throughout the years, which led to its partnership with renowned festivals, namely Busan International Film Festival, and Tokyo International Film Festival.
After three years of the pandemic, the Government has been actively implementing various measures, with a view to resuming social and economic activities of Hong Kong. In the meantime, it has been four years, since AFA was last conducted in Hong Kong in 2019. The Government has just unveiled our roadmap to recovery, including our pledge to stage and support more international mega events and activities, to further augment our image and enhance our competitiveness as an events capital. The return of the ceremony to Hong Kong this year, is definitely the best sign of full recovery of Hong Kong after the pandemic, and to showcase the readiness of Hong Kong to stage international events and welcome all around the world.
The National 14th Five-Year Plan has expressed clear support for Hong Kong, to develop into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. This has not only manifested our country’s expectation of Hong Kong, but also given full recognition, to the flourishing and diverse growth of arts, culture and creative industries in Hong Kong over the past years, and provided the sector with continuous development opportunities. The Government has been committed to developing arts, culture and creative industries, and has formulated strategic directions to support the development of Hong Kong, into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
The Government has recently announced new measures to promote Hong Kong’s pop culture to audiences worldwide. New schemes will be rolled out to support collaboration between local and Asian production teams, for co-production of films, as well as development of new content on streaming platforms by cross-sectoral production teams.
We are pleased to see that AFA, aiming at recognising outstanding Asian films and filmmakers, strengthening the collaboration between Hong Kong and other Asian regions, and encouraging film and cultural exchanges in the regions, has established itself as a prestigious event, where Hong Kong, Asian and international filmmakers could gather together, pay tribute to their counterparts in Asia, and meet each other for exchanges and sharing, cultivating and exploring collaboration, with a view to producing films which continue to keep audience mesmerised and fascinated. This echoes with the Government’s strategic direction of enhancing cultural exchange and co-operation with the Mainland, and strengthening our connections with overseas arts and cultural organisations, and our goal of bringing Hong Kong films to wider audience.
Turning to this year’s AFA, competition is keen as always. I am happy to see that there are five Hong Kong films being nominated for eight awards in eight different categories, and I wish you only the best words. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you, who have been joining hands with us in promoting the development of the film industry, and arts and cultural exchange between Hong Kong and the world. I wish the event a resounding success, and all guests and participants a most rewarding and enjoyable time in Hong Kong. Thank you very much.
Acting SHA inspects anti-epidemic service bag distribution centre (with photos/video)
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Acting Director of Home Affairs officiates at presentation ceremony of community vaccination event for children organised by Kowloon City District Office (with photos)
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Acting SHA expresses deep sorrow over passing of Dr Tong Wai-ki
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Hong Kong – Acting SHA inspects anti-epidemic service bag distribution centre (with photos/video)
Fighting the virus is Hong Kong’s most pressing mission. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will start distributing anti-epidemic service bags to all households in Hong Kong from April 2 with a view to effectively meeting the public’s anti-epidemic needs. The preparation is being implemented at full steam under the lead of the 18 District Officers. By mobilising civil servants and gathering support from different fronts, preparation work for packaging and distributing millions of anti-epidemic service bags will soon begin. The Acting Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Jack Chan, today (March 29) inspected materials and the venue setup at a distribution centre for anti-epidemic service bags in Causeway Bay Community Centre to ensure the smooth commencement of relevant work.
Mr Chan said, “Being deeply concerned about the epidemic situation of Hong Kong and the well-being of the Hong Kong people, the Mainland has fully responded to the HKSAR Government’s requests for its assistance in fighting the epidemic. We are thankful for the Central Government’s co-ordination on the procurement, production and logistics of various anti-epidemic supplies. This has enabled the HKSAR Government to obtain the anti-epidemic supplies in a timely manner and ensure ample supplies for every Hong Kong citizen.”
Mr Chan said that due to the huge manpower required for packaging and distributing anti-epidemic service bags, the civil service team is providing active support. Colleagues from 13 bureaux and their family departments, as well as the Department of Justice, are participating in this task. The HKSAR Government has mobilised all possible manpower and volunteers to join hands with the civil service team to carry out the relevant work. Apart from packaging work, the Government will set up 130 distribution points in the 18 districts to carry out the ensuing distribution work.
To ensure a smooth packaging process for the anti-epidemic service bags, the Home Affairs Department has produced a demonstration video so that participating civil servants and volunteers can fully understand the division of labour, procedure and steps in packaging.
He said, “We have seen an overwhelming response from different sectors in organising volunteer teams. Over 17 000 volunteers have been recruited through the members of the Legislative Council, the Hong Kong Community Anti-Coronavirus Link, the Anti-Coronavirus Link of 18 districts, over 230 local organisations and non-government organisations, clansman organisations, charity groups, volunteer and uniformed groups, religious groups and ethnic minorities groups. They have provided more than 40 000 volunteer work days for packaging and some 27 000 volunteer work days for distributing bags.
“The work of distributing the anti-epidemic service bags fully demonstrates the spirit of concerted co-operation among the Government, all sectors of the community and the public in fighting the epidemic. We again express our gratitude to the country. We firmly believe that with the staunch support from our motherland, as long as Hong Kong citizens are united in one heart to fight the epidemic, Hong Kong will definitely win this battle.”
Hong Kong – Acting Director of Home Affairs officiates at presentation ceremony of community vaccination event for children organised by Kowloon City District Office (with photos)
The Acting Director of Home Affairs, Miss Vega Wong, officiated at the presentation ceremony of a community vaccination event for children known as “I am a Little Anti-pandemic Hero” organised by the Kowloon City District Office held at the Hung Hom Community Hall today (March 6). She presented certificates to vaccinated children, including ethnic minority children, to acknowledge their acts for protecting themselves and those around them as well as minimising the risk of virus spread in the community through vaccination.
Miss Wong stated that the Home Affairs Department and 18 District Offices under its purview will continue to walk hand in hand with the public in the fight against the epidemic, by providing a variety of anti-epidemic support services to the community through different channels such as organising community vaccination activities in various districts for those in need of injection especially high-risk groups like children and the elderly, for gaining protection for themselves and the others through vaccines as soon as possible.
Apart from officiating at the ceritificate presentation ceremony, Miss Wong, accompanied by the District Officer (Kowloon City), Ms Alice Choi, talked to the parents who took their children to the event, the medical doctor volunteers responsible for vaccination as well as the volunteers who were there to maintain order for learning various situations encountered by them during anti-epidemic activities. She also thanked them for supporting the event.
The community vaccination event for children named “I am a Little Anti-pandemic Hero” was jointly organised by the Kowloon City District Office, the Faculty of Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong with the support from the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society Kowloon, the CUHK Medical Alumni Buddy Programme, the Union Hospital, the Youth Committee of the Hong Kong & Kowloon Chiu Chow Public Association and Lui Lee Sau Ying Charity Fund Limited. It offers effective protection for children by injecting COVID-19 vaccines for school kids free of charge.
Miss Wong thanked all sectors of the community for their staunch support for vaccination activities organised by individual district offices such that citizens of all ages, especially children and the elderly who are more vulnerable to serious infection, can be vaccinated as soon as possible to obtain the much needed proper protection for themselves and others under the severe epidemic situation.
Hong Kong – Acting SHA expresses deep sorrow over passing of Dr Tong Wai-ki
The Acting Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, today (January 19) expressed deep condolences over the passing of the Chairman of the Hong Kong Taoist Association, Dr Tong Wai-ki.
Mr Nip said, “Dr Tong dedicated his life in promoting the Taoist religion and uniting the Taoist community. He also actively participated in charitable services and talent nurturing. In 2013, he was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star for his great contributions to the community.”
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Tong and would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family.”
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An award-winning actor and director, Murisa Harba lives to push boundaries. She is a leading acting coach, author, thought leader, and speaker in Los Angeles, passionate about empowering actors to elevate their truth in storytelling and ultimately unlocking their creative genius.