The annual Hong Kong Prize, also known as the Hong Kong Award for Young People, provides a platform to foster young people’s perseverance and spirit of self-challenge. Encouraged are young people aged 14-25 years who complete bronze or silver awards – services, skills, physical recreation and expedition – through voluntary work or challenging activities to complete these prestigious international awards which have been around for more than half a century now.
This year, 78 prizes were handed out in various news categories that encompass reporting, writing, photography, design and news video production. Winners were chosen from among more than 100 submissions and announced at a ceremony held at Hong Kong Cultural Centre on Saturday morning at which Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki and Gabriel Leung of Hong Kong Jockey Club which solely sponsors these awards congratulated their success.
Students also took home honours in the art and film categories. One student from Diocesan Girls’ School (DGS) won honours in both categories; she worked on numerous projects such as DGS Metaverse that allows pupils to navigate virtual campuses and purchase student-made products; she is also leading an initiative aiming at integrating artificial intelligence into medicine for improved healthcare delivery.
In the film category, Oksana Karpovych’s Intercepted by Oksana Karpovych stood out, featuring scenes of Ukrainians after Russia invaded and phone conversations between loved ones. Wong Sui-pong won jury prize in documentary section with Obedience that explored Hong Kong’s Hung Hom area; Sho Miyake’s All The Long Nights by Sho Miyake focused around Japanese migrant workers’ experiences in Hong Kong.
DGS student Jane Poon won the Sustainability Advocate award, a brand-new category introduced this year. At 17 years old, she is dedicated to advocating for sustainability within her local community and is recognized for her efforts. “Hong Kong does not offer many sustainability awards so this recognition means a great deal to me and keeps me working toward creating a more sustainable future for Hong Kong,” said Jane. “I want to continue working towards making Hong Kong sustainable!”