As a densely populated international city, Hong Kong faces a variety of natural and man made disaster risks. To enhance overall emergency preparedness, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust supports the HKSAR Government Fire Services Department’s (FSD) Disaster Management and Preparedness Programme. In a bid to encourage regional collaboration and exchange, the three-day Fire Asia 2024 symposium is being held in Hong Kong this week.
Some 600 guests from different countries and regions attend the Fire Asia 2024 symposium.
The symposium kicked off today (10 July), where Michael Lee, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, joined Chan Kwok-ki, HKSAR Government Chief Secretary for Administration; Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security; Patrick Li, Permanent Secretary for Security; Andy Yeung, Director of Fire Services; and other guests at the opening ceremony.
Michael Lee, Club Chairman (3rd right), joined Chan Kwok-ki, HKSAR Government Chief Secretary for Administration (8th left); Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security (7th> left); Patrick Li, Permanent Secretary for Security (6 right); Andy Yeung, Director of Fire Services (4th left); and other guests at the Fire Asia 2024 symposium opening ceremony.
The three-year programme aims to promote emergency response capacity building,regional collaboration and public emergency awareness. The Fire Asia 2024 symposium will facilitate international exchange of expertise and best practices. This year, local and overseas fire safety experts and professionals will gather under the theme “Collaboration and Technology - Better Prepare the Community for Emergency”, sharing knowledge and best practices to address future challenges. The programme has also supported the FSD to conduct training and drills with non-governmental organisations and other government departments, as well as with authorities in Guangdong province for drills in the Greater Bay Area.
Club Chairman Michael Lee (left) at the lion eye-dotting ceremony.
Other initiatives of the programme include equipping buildings lacking proper management structures with essential fire safety equipment and standalone detectors;installing automated external defibrillator (AED) machines in convenience stores, bus stations and 24-hour automated self-service banking centres; and organising various public educational activities, empowering over 80,000 members of the public with essential fire safety knowledge.
Tang Ping-keung, HKSAR Government Secretary for Security (centre); Patrick Li,Permanent Secretary for Security (right) and Michael Lee, Club Chairman (left) pose for a photo.
The Club’s support for these initiatives, like all its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.
A spectacular 67-metre fire dragon crafted with burning incense sticks captivated over a thousand of festival-goers as it was paraded through the streets of Tai Hang tonight (16 September). Set to run for three nights to September 18, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance parade has been supported by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust since 2010, in collaboration with the Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association.
Club Chairman Michael Lee (front row, left) and the Director-General of the Hong Kong Island Sub-office of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Xue Hui jun (front row, right) decorate the Tai Hang Fire Dragon.
Officiating at the dance’s opening ceremony were Michael Wong, HKSAR Government Deputy Financial Secretary; Michael Lee, Club Chairman; Xue Hui-jun, Director-General of the Hong Kong Island Sub-office of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; and Yuen How-kuen, Chairman of the Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association along with other guests.
HKSAR Government Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong (seventh right); Club Chairman Michael Lee (seventh left); the Director-General of the Hong Kong Island Sub-office of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Xue Hui-jun (sixth left); Chairman of the Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association Yuen How-kuen (centre) and other guests at the opening ceremony of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance.
Michael Lee said the Club was happy to have supported the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance for many years. This includes helping the Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association to organise fire dragon dance training for children and young people to foster interest in this cultural heritage activity. In addition, through the Institute of Philanthropy, the Club is cooperating with the Palace Museum in Beijing to promote Chinese culture by restoring and conserving the historic Chengqiangong, organising exhibitions, and nurturing talents.
HKSAR Government Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong (right) and Club Chairman Michael Lee (left) lift the head of the 67-metre fire dragon at the opening ceremony of the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance.
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance was first held in 1880 as an act to ward off a plague that had broken out in the district that year. It has since become customary to stage a fire dragon dance every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival to drive away infectious diseases and to bring good fortune.
The dragon is made of “pearl grass” and is about 67 metres in length. It takes more than 400 people to perform the dance. The ceremony starts with decorating the dragon and stuffing it with burning incense sticks before parading it through the streets of Tai Hang during the evening.
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance and sparkling night parade are believed to bring good fortune.
The dance was among the local traditions included on the third national list of intangible cultural heritage activities. In 2019 it was chosen as one of the Remarkable Examples of Good Practice for Safeguarding the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Items.
To foster deeper understanding of traditional customs and their origins among the public, the Club continues to support the Tai Hang Residents’ Welfare Association and the Hong Kong Resource Centre for Heritage in organising an educational workshop for schools and the wider community.
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance and sparkling night parade are believed to bring good fortune.
The Club’s Charities Trust has also provided funding to help preserve two other local festivals on the national heritage list: the Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade and the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival.
The Club’s support for these programmes, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities.
