Hong Kong artists shine at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 reception in London ETO.

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh

​The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) hosted a networking reception in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom (UK), on August 9 (London time) evening, for about 180 guests in celebrating the participation of Hong Kong artists in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The audience included members of the Scottish Parliament, local council members and leading figures in the local academic, arts and cultural sector.

Speaking at the reception, the Director-General of the London ETO, Mr Gilford Law, mentioned that the London ETO is pleased to support four troupes and two street performance artists to join the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024. He emphasised Hong Kong's commitment to developing into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as supported by the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

"In elevating Hong Kong into a world-class hub for performing arts, we will host the very first Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo (HKPAX) from October 14 to 18. As a flagship platform for performing arts, HKPAX is set to facilitate art and cultural exchange between China including Hong Kong, and the rest of the world; expand trading market of performing arts programmes; and explore new opportunities for arts practitioners from the region and beyond," he added.

The reception featured an excerpt of the performances of One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation, TS Crew, Lai Yee, and Lyson Sze.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 runs from August 2 to 26 in Edinburgh, UK. "Cantonese Opera x Children's Interactive Theatre: Dic Dic Chang Chang Playground" by One Table Two Chairs Charitable Foundation plays at theSpace@Surgeons' Hall till August 10. "Must I Cry" by Theatre du Pif plays at Paradise in Augustines till August 25. "No Dragon No Lion" by TS Crew plays at C Arts, Lauriston Halls till August 25. "It's Not My Body Chapter 3.5 / This Is" by Wong Tan-ki and Dick Wong plays at Assembly @ Dance Base till August 11. Flow artist Lai Yee and freestyle football player Lyson Sze's performances are staged throughout the streets of Edinburgh.

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

London ETO Summer Night reception celebrates Hong Kong artists in Edinburgh Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

15th National Games road cycling test event to be held on November 24

​The press conference for the 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao road cycling race and road cycling test event for the 15th National Games (NG) was held in Zhuhai today (November 7). It was announced that the test event will be held on November 24.

Vice Mayor of the Zhuhai Municipal Government and Vice Chairperson of the Zhuhai Executive Committee of the 15th NG, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG), Mr Li Chong; the Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Mr Yeung Tak-keung; the Head of the Preparatory Office for the 15th NG, 12th NGD and 9th NSOG in Macao (the Preparatory Office in Macao), Mr Pun Weng-kun; and Deputy Director-General of the Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Mr Yuan Xiong attended the press conference and introduced the details of the test event.

A men's individual race will be arranged for the test event and is scheduled to start at 9am on November 24, and is expected to conclude at 2.30pm. The event will feature 23 representative teams from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao, with a total of 71 professional athletes competing. The race spans across Zhuhai, Hong Kong and Macao, covering a total distance of 230kilometres, which comprises a 160.7km section in Zhuhai, a 55.8km section in Hong Kong and a 13.5km section in Macao.

During the press conference, Mr Yeung said that the NGCO in collaboration with relevant departments and organisations will provide full support for the race in Hong Kong section, including customs clearance management, traffic control, medical support, and emergency rescue services, to ensure the smooth conduct of the test event. The race will enter Hong Kong from the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) and go through the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island, North Lantau Highway and Penny's Bay Highway. The competing teams will return after passing by Hong Kong Disneyland and head back to Zhuhai via the HZMB and Hengqin. It is expected that the race will take place in Hong Kong for about 1.5 hours. Given the need for competing teams to enter and exit the HZMB Hong Kong Port during the test event, the NGCO will provide full support to the arrangements of Zhuhai and ensure that all event personnel, equipment and vehicles can smoothly pass through the HZMB Hong Kong Port during the race.

Mr Li said in the press conference that the race is the first national sports event that connects and integrates Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and it is also the only 15th NG event being arranged across the three places. The race will consolidate the exchange within and integration of the Greater Bay Area in the aspect of sports and establish a cultural and sports brand event exchange matrix in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promoting the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the national development plan, and bringing forward the deep integration of the Greater Bay Area.

Mr Pun said that the Preparatory Office in Macao and the relevant government departments in Macao have been in close collaboration with Guangdong and Hong Kong. Multiple site inspections were conducted to ensure the full preparations for the event in terms of customs clearance management, traffic control, medical support and emergency rescue services, etc. The Preparatory Office in Macao will provide full support for the event and work together with Hong Kong and Zhuhai to host a successful event for the preparation of the 15th NG to be held next year.

The HZMB and Hong Kong Port would be subject to special traffic arrangements during the day of the test event. Details of road closure and traffic arrangements will be announced in due course.

The 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao road cycling race and the road cycling test event for the 15th NG is organised by the Chinese Cycling Association and the People's Government of Zhuhai Municipality with support from the NGCO of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Preparatory Office in Macao and the Executive Committee of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

15th National Games road cycling test event to be held on November 24 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases