The Hong Kong Prize
The Hong Kong prize is a special award for outstanding research achievements and their innovative applications, transformation, and benefit to society. It is a tribute to the pioneering efforts of scientific researchers and innovators in our city, and it inspires them to continue their innovative exploration, establish themselves here, serve our nation and contribute to the world.
The award is open to all enrolled secondary school students in Hong Kong. Teachers can nominate their students to enter the contest online before the submission deadline of 16 September. There are two categories of prizes: a public vote prize of HK$4,000 and a judges’ prize of HK$10,000. The winners will be announced on 30 October.
In order to ensure the fairness of the drawing process, a number of measures are taken during the draw. All materials used for the draw are carefully checked by employees of HKJC’s security and customer service departments, including the boxes, the balls, and the machine. They are weighed, measured and examined by X-ray on a regular basis. The balls are also replaced after each draw, and the same set of balls is not used for two consecutive draws.
It is a privilege for the winner of the prize to spend six months in Hong Kong, the centre of international science and technology, collaborating with scientists and exploring cutting-edge research areas at the same time. They will also have access to the world’s premier research facilities, which will help them further develop their expertise and achieve greater breakthroughs in their respective fields of study.
The prize money for the winners can range from US$200,000 to US$1 million, depending on the category in which they are nominated. The prize was established by a consortium of investors, entrepreneurs, and scientists. It has since become one of the most prestigious international science awards.
This year, five Hongkongers were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, namely Jimmy Lai, Chow Hang-tung, Lee Cheuk-yan, Gwyneth Ho and Joshua Wong. The nominations were based on their fervent dedication to protect freedoms and campaign for democracy.
There are a total of eight prizes awarded to filmmakers at the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA). The first prize, worth HK$100 million, is drawn in December every year. The rest of the prizes are awarded according to a formula that takes into account the votes of film workers, critics and selected adjudicators. The HKFA is managed by a board of directors, which includes representatives of thirteen professional film bodies in Hong Kong. Proceeds from the ticket sales are deducted for the HKFA’s prize fund and other taxes and causes. Since its inception, the HKFA has only seen four rollovers of a minimum HK$100 million. This is because only a small percentage of the bets are actually won, and most bettors are trying to win the jackpot. For this reason, the HKFA is not a highly profitable venture for the operators.