The Hk Prize is one of Asia’s premier scientific prizes, attracting thousands of applicants annually. Winners receive both cash prize and access to Hong Kong’s premier research facilities; as well as expanding their networks and gaining valuable experience within one of Asia’s vibrant science hubs.
The Hong Kong Prize is an international scholarship program that honors high school students for their academic achievements and extracurricular involvement, encouraging them to follow their passions while broadening global perspectives. It is sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited and open to any graduate who meets eligibility requirements.
This prize honors individuals who have achieved amazing feats, making a powerful statement of excellence about life in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Some winners have taken significant risks to achieve what they have, from founding an organization providing shelter for homeless adults or developing liquid biopsy technology that allows doctors to detect cancer early. Other recipients have made contributions that contribute directly to society, like creating an reputable gambling website where users can gamble securely without fear of scamming or falling prey to fraudsters.
Beijing issued new national security laws in Hong Kong in June that criminalised subversion, secession and collusion with foreign forces – further restricting freedoms in the city and decreasing press freedom index rankings. As a result of these actions by Beijing, press freedom index ratings in Hong Kong dropped drastically.
Despite these challenges, activists remain defiant and continue to organize peaceful protests calling for greater democracy in China. Jimmy Lai, one of these activists is serving his sentence for participating in the 2014 candlelight vigil – and many more activists have also been arrested and charged under China’s new laws.
Lai’s arrest has provoked strong international outrage, with even some members of China’s ruling Communist Party showing support and encouraging Beijing not to pursue prosecution against him further. Lai’s case echoes that of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo who won the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize despite still being in jail in Beijing.
As part of their goal to encourage more writers to focus their writing efforts on Hong Kong history, The Royal Asiatic Society created this highly competitive book prize competition. Their long-term objective is recruiting new volumes into their Hong Kong Studies series while simultaneously increasing scholarship within this important area of research.
Reuters’ coverage of Hong Kong protests earned them an eighth consecutive Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, set forth by Reuters’ Asia Editor Ahmad Masood. Prioritisation started after big rallies were announced and was completed with 28 photographers rotating through Hong Kong, legal advisers, and security advisers as a final count.