Hong Kong Prize is an award that honours students’ academic achievement and extracurricular activities in History. It is founded by friends and students of Professor John D. Young in 1996 to celebrate his passion for Hong Kong history and his belief that a comprehensive understanding of local history is essential to a well-rounded education. It is also designed to encourage and recognise outstanding achievements in History studies, and to raise public awareness of the importance of the subject.
HK$ 2 million sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited was established in 2022 to attract world-class scientific talent and support forward thinking scientists to form an active innovation and technology hub. A Review Board comprising of renowned scholars and experts will make independent judgments and objective evaluations to select the Laureates (individual/team) in each award field and the Award Winner. The Award Ceremony will be held every year to recognize the Laureates’ research breakthroughs, their applications and transformation, and their social or economic value creation. Representatives of The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Central Government agencies in Hong Kong and the sponsoring enterprise are invited to be the officiating guests at the award ceremony.
In its statement on the award, the Government of the Hong Kong SAR pointed out that the decision of the Foreign Ministers of France and Germany to award the prize to Chow in name of respecting human rights and the rule of law is clearly inconsistent with our principle of reserving the right to determine its own affairs within the basic norms of international relations and law. The government also noted that Chow’s activities are currently being investigated by law enforcement authorities in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong artists are energetic centers of culture and creativity, reflecting their views of global change through various art forms. The prize offers these artists recognition, support and encouragement in their creative work, arts projects or further studies; increased international visibility via top-tier media coverage; and the opportunity to build a truly unique and exciting platform of potential collaborators.
The prize also honoured the courage and dedication of those who put themselves on the line for our freedoms. It is an invaluable contribution to our society and a great example for young people of what it means to be a true Hongkonger.
This year’s shortlist is made up of works of nine Hong Kong artists, the highest number in the award’s history. Two-thirds of the shortlist were female artists, a first in the prize’s history. Noormah Jamal was among the five finalists in the Painting category for her acrylic-on-canvas work titled Did the Seed Grow?, which demonstrates the empty expressions of her subjects and questions their purpose in life.