The Hong Kong Jockey Club is contributing HK$450 million (US$57.7 million) to the city to support its co-hosting of the 15th National Games in November and two related events, marking the single largest donation for the competitions.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Thursday that the donation would inject powerful energy into the city’s preparations for the events, referring to the National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.
“The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s sponsorship will primarily be used for volunteer service programmes, citywide community and school promotion activities and arranging viewing experiences for underprivileged groups and youth,” she said during a signing ceremony to announce the donation with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges.
Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Jockey Club chairman Michael Lee Tze-hau and Zhang Zhihua, deputy director general of the coordination department for Hong Kong and Macau affairs of the National Games organising committee.
“Hosting the 15th National Games and Paralympic Games is a crucial task for Hong Kong this year. We have been working closely with Guangdong and Macau, leveraging this opportunity to deepen sports exchange and integrated development within the Greater Bay Area,” Law said.
The National Games, which are being jointly hosted for the first time by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, will be held from November 9 to 21.
