The Hong Kong Prize recognises students who have excelled both academically and in their extracurricular activities, giving them the recognition they deserve. During the awards ceremony, winners are given cash prizes and access to research facilities in Hong Kong. This year, the competition received 617 entries from secondary school students in Hong Kong.
The award honours excellence in scientific research and its impact on transforming Hong Kong into an active innovation and technology hub. A review board, comprising an independent Review Committee and Compliance Oversight Team will evaluate candidates based on their scientific research achievements, their application, the transformation achieved and social or economic value created. The winners of the Hong Kong Prize will be announced at an award ceremony in 2023, with representatives from the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and sponsors of the awards as officiating guests.
The prize was established by friends and students of Professor John D. Young in 1996 to commemorate his passion for Hong Kong history and belief that a well-rounded education should include an understanding of the city’s diverse historical aspects. In 2008, Mr. Zhang Dapeng, President of Y. Cee Chemicals Ltd, donated HK$10 million to the Faculty of Arts at HKU to establish “The Dream of the Red Chamber Award: The World’s Distinguished Novel in Chinese-Zhang Dapeng Endowment Fund” and re-designated the balance of the Professor Wang Gungwu Loan Fund for the Prize.
hongkong prize
The competition is open to residents of Southeast Asia, mainland China and any other part of the world. Those interested can visit the World of Winners splash page starting March 1 for their chance to win a flight ticket to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong film Ten Years won the top prize at this year’s awards, despite antagonising Beijing with its portrayal of the semi-autonomous territory in the future. The film, which includes a scene in which a protester self-immolates, is a series of vignettes that capture residents’ fears for the future of the city as it tightens under Chinese control.
The prize gives recognition, support and encouragement to arts practitioners in their creative work, art projects and further studies. It also offers opportunities for collaboration with leading institutions around the globe, allowing artists to share their vision of global change with audiences worldwide. This year, the shortlist included nine artists from Hong Kong, making it the most represented city in the history of the prize. Two-thirds of the shortlist are women, a record for the award’s history. The winning works will be exhibited in the city from April to July. This year’s prize is sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited. The full list of award winners can be found here.