Prize competitions offer winners the perfect platform to showcase their innovative ideas, enhance Hong Kong’s position as an international development center, and contribute to our country’s overall progress. Winners not only get an HK$5,000 award but will have access to global leaders in development, technology, and business sectors who may provide invaluable mentoring support and advisement during their journey to success.

The winning team will have the unique opportunity to work closely with both the world-leading organiser of HK Global Innovation Prize and an elite international consultancy firm in order to develop a project supporting Hong Kong’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. By tapping into their partner organizations’ expertise, the winning team can craft a project which will significantly improve lives in developing nations.

This year, the Hong Kong Research Institute Prize has been rebranded to reflect its importance as an international development center and now covers five areas: artificial intelligence and robotics, life and health, new materials and energy, 3D microfabrication/nanofabrication technologies as well as AI security technologies. Furthermore, an additional award called the Hong Kong Research Institute Prize has been created to recognise outstanding scientific researchers for their accomplishments in these areas.

Keith Kam Woon-ting, Chairman of the Newspaper Society in Hong Kong and first Pandemic Zone President congratulated journalists and editors at an inaugural awards ceremony during this pandemic era held for the first time during an awards ceremony that drew national and international media. He thanked them for making “positive and irreplaceable contributions to society at such a critical time”. Additionally he thanked them for upholding their professional mission of seeking truth with objectivity while reflecting upon social issues.

China Daily won awards in most categories, with senior business reporter Zhang Tianyuan taking home the best news writing prize with her piece on the effects of US Federal Reserve rate cut on Hong Kong economy and stock market. Meanwhile Lesley Liu Xiaohan took top prize for her short news video Shared Changing, Shared Future which explores how young Chinese travellers are altering their travel habits.

Ng Siew Chien was honored for her use of noninvasive tests for early diagnosis and intervention of gastrointestinal tract and autism spectrum disorders, while Zhang Hua and Chen Shih-chi won for their work in phase engineering of nanomaterials; Wang Cong received recognition for his advancements in 3D micro- and nanofabrication as well as innovative data and AI security technologies.

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra took home the music prize with their Ring Cycle performance. Judges lauded its ability to captivate an international audience while making sure its message was fully received by its listeners.