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In celebration of its 4th Anniversary, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change launched ‘JC–CUHK Climate Action’ with funding of over $35 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (the Trust) today (16 December). The programme will run a series of education and outreach initiatives that aim to narrow the gap between climate awareness and climate action in Hong Kong.

Officiating at the 4th Anniversary Celebration and launch ceremony today were The Hon Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government, The Hon Sir C K Chow, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club), ProfessorJoseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Dr Rebecca Lee, Founder of the Polar Museum Foundation, and Professor Fok Tai-fai, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK and Chairman of the Steering Committee for Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change.

Professor Sung explained that outreach education activities had become a core element in today’s museums. ‘With the generous support of the Trust, the Museum will continue to run a variety of climate action initiatives and projects under the theme “JC–CUHK Climate Action” in the coming three years to help the people of Hong Kong better understand the potentially devastating effects of climate change and inspire solutions,’ he added.

The Hon Sir C K Chow said the Club through the Charities Trust had been promoting the concept of a low-carbon lifestyle in the community, and through its co-operation with various environmental groups, had launched various innovative projects to encourage people to adopt green living habits. ‘Over the past four years, the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change has attracted over 250,000 attendees, playing an important role in raising public awareness of environmental protection,’ he noted. ‘The Club will further support the Museum’s development by launching the JC–CUHK Climate Action programme. It is hoped that the number of attendees to the Museum and its mobile version will exceed 180,000 over the next three years, and attract about one million participants of activities organised by JC–CUHK Climate Action.’

The Hon Wong said, ‘Earlier this year, the HKSAR Government announced “Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2030+”, which covers climate actions in three areas, namely mitigation, adaptation and resilience, in response to the Paris Agreement. The objective of climate change mitigating actions is, among others, to reduce Hong Kong’s carbon intensity by 65%–70% compared with the 2005 level, which is equivalent to a reduction of per capita carbon emissions to around 3.3–3.8 tonnes per annum. Hong Kong’s low-carbon transformation requires concerted efforts of the Government, the business sector, schools and the general public to pursue energy conservation, green commuting and waste reduction etc. in daily life, as well as to lead a low-carbon lifestyle in clothing, food, living and travel.’

Also introduced at the ceremony was a newly-launched mobile version of the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change, which is an interactive, multimedia-enhanced ‘mini-museum’, designed to enrich the user’s experience when learning about the impact of climate change. Its first exhibition, ‘Polar Vision’, is being held at D‧Park in Tsuen Wan today and tomorrow (16–17 December) for the public to visit for free. It will also be offered for loan, at no charge, to schools, community centres and NGOs, beginning in January 2018.

In the coming three years, JC–CUHK Climate Action will organise different activities such as large-scale annual carnivals, eco-tours, visits and workshops to disseminate climate change and sustainability messages to a wide spectrum of audiences. It will also nurture the sustainability young leaders by building a platform for connection and information exchange, and providing training to university and secondary school students to promote public awareness of the need for climate action and sustainable development in Hong Kong.

Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change

The Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change, funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, was established in December 2013 at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). It is the first museum of its kind in the world, offering an interactive, multimedia exhibition that showcases valuable collections and information about climate change. It is the ideal venue for the public, especially students and teachers, to champion the cause of environmental stewardship and keep themselves abreast of the latest developments on environmental conservation and sustainability. The Museum has attracted over 260,000 visitors since its inception.

In 2017, the Trust further pledged its support for a three-year initiative of the Museum: ‘JC–CUHK Climate Action’. The Museum will, during the next three years, run a variety of environmental education activities to help the people of Hong Kong to better understand the potentially devastating effects of climate change and to suggest innovative solutions and engage themselves in action. 

More details about the Museum can be found at www.mocc.cuhk.edu.hk.

Source: Communications and Public Relations Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The speedy growth of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), since its inception in 1963, has been made possible by the generous support from community leaders, alumni and friends of CUHK, which has guided  the University to move from strength to strength and become a world-leading institution. In recognition of the unwavering contributions from our benefactors, the “Appreciation Dinner cum Chinese Cultural Night Featuring Tang Xianzu’s Masterpieces” was held yesterday (2 December) at the Sir Run Run Shaw Hall of CUHK. Over 160 major benefactors, friends, alumni, faculty members and staff of CUHK joined this joyous occasion.

Prof. Joseph Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, expressed his gratitude to our benefactors in his welcoming remarks. “In the past seven years, during my tenure as the University’s Vice-Chancellor and President, I have been privileged to get to know all our supporters sitting here, and to witness the rapid development of the University together. The growth of CUHK in the past 50 or so years was not without challenges, and we are truly grateful for the unfailing support from our benefactors. With your support, the University is able to increase its strength and competitiveness in teaching, research and community service, and can nurture our students to become the future pillars of society.”

Dr. Norman Leung, Chairman of the University Council of CUHK, accompanied by Prof. Joseph Sung, the Provost, Vice-Presidents and Associate Vice-President, proposed a toast of thanks to the distinguished guests for gracing the event with their presence. Before the commencement of the performance, Prof. Sung presented a souvenir to Mr. Sherman Tang, a descendant of Master Tang Xianzu, and sponsor of the performance. Prof. Sung also thanked Dr. Alice Lam and Dr. Anita Leung for their long-term support towards a wide range of Chinese cultural activities initiated by CUHK.

After the donor appreciation dinner, there were five brilliant performances featuring the masterpieces of Tang Xianzu, a renowned playwright of the Ming Dynasty, including Peking opera, Cantonese opera, Pintan, Kunqu and Chinese music. A number of world-class performers showcased the essence of Chinese arts and culture, including first class national actors and actresses Mr. Wang Lijun, Mr. Gao Bowen, Ms. Yue Meiti and Ms. Zhang Jingxian, famous Cantonese opera master Mr. Yuen Siu-fai, and Yao Yueh Chinese Music Association. Over 300 CUHK students were invited to watch the performances and to appreciate the beauty of Chinese art and culture.

Source: Communications and Public Relations Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is delighted to receive a generous donation of HK$3 million from the Well Link Financial Group in support of a research project undertaken by the Chinese Law Programme of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (HKIAPS) of CUHK.  A donation ceremony was held on 29 November 2017, officiated at by Prof. Fanny Cheung, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of CUHK and Ms Monica Zhan, CEO of the Well Link Financial Group.  Prof. Chan Ka-lok, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration of CUHK, Prof. Chiu Chi-yue, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, Prof. Christopher Gane, Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Michael Palmer, Emeritus Professor of the School of Law of the University of London and Honorary Senior Research Fellow of HKIAPS, as well as a number of distinguished guests, also joined the ceremony. 

Prof. Fanny Cheung said in her welcome remarks, “I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Ms Monica Zhan and the Well Link Financial Group for their generous support of our spearheading research on Chinese law.  The Chinese Law Programme of CUHK seeks to establish itself as a platform which has an impact in the Asia-Pacific region on multidisciplinary research on Chinese law and legal institutions by combining the efforts of scholars specialising in Chinese law.”

Ms Monica Zhan said: “The Well Link Financial Group is delighted to support the Chinese Law Programme of the HKIAPS of CUHK. It is our vision that, through this reseach project, society can have a better understanding of Chinese law. We believe that the donation can also foster and support CUHK faculty members’ scholarly research endeavors.” 

Prof. Xi Chao, Director of the Chinese Law Programme of HKIAPS, introduced the guests to the background of and latest developments in the Chinese Law Programme. He said, “The project aims to promote research collaboration and academic exchange between scholars from Hong Kong and mainland China, with a focus on the Basic Law and Chinese Law.”

In recent years, the Chinese Law Programme of CUHK has become a major platform for interdisciplinary research of Chinese law in HKIAPS.  Currently interdisciplinary reseach in ‘Law and Culture’, ‘Law and Philiosophy’, ‘Law and Political Economy’, ‘Law and Finance’, ‘Law and Sociology’, etc. has been launched with remarkable results.

Source: Communications and Public Relations Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong