Hong Kong Prepares for National Games with Countdown Carnival and Test Events

One-year countdown event for 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games (Hong Kong)

The Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, attended a press conference in Guangzhou today (November 8) to introduce the progress of preparation for the 15th National Games (NG).

Speaking at the press conference, Mr Yeung said that the preparation for the NG in Hong Kong is smooth and Hong Kong will organise test events for various competition events and cross-boundary events so as to get well prepared for the official events.

Other officials attending the press conference were the Director of the Department of Publicity of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Gao Chao; Vice Chairperson of the Guangdong Executive Committee of the 15th National Games Mr Cui Jian; and the Head of the Preparatory Office for the 15th NG, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) in Macao, Mr Pun Weng-kun.

The National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) will also organise the one-year countdown event for the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG in Hong Kong tomorrow (November 9), and members of the public can share the joy of welcoming these two mega sports events to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time.

A carnival will be held from 2.30pm to 5.30pm at the Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section) tomorrow. The carnival offers a variety of activities, such as a cultural performance, an exhibition of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and virtual reality games and booths featuring the sports events of the Games to be held in Hong Kong. Members of the public are welcome to join.

The carnival will be cancelled if tropical cyclone warning signal No. 3 or above, or a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force on or after 11am tomorrow. Members of the public should pay attention to the latest announcement.

Furthermore, roving exhibitions themed 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be held in more than 30 sports centres under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department from tomorrow to introduce the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and the history of the NG, the NGD and the NSOG, and the Hong Kong team's past achievements in these events. The first exhibition will take place at the Harbour Road Sports Centre, 27 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, running from tomorrow until December 5, 2024.

To raise the public awareness of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and to encourage members of the public to support and participate in these national mega sports events, promotional activities under the theme of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be held in 18 districts across Hong Kong.

The NG, held once every four years, is the nation's highest-level and the largest national multi-sport event. The 15th NG will be held from November 9 to 21, 2025, lasting for a total of 13 days. Hong Kong will organise eight competition events, namely, Basketball (men U22), Track Cycling, Fencing, Golf, Handball (men), Rugby Sevens, Triathlon and Beach Volleyball; as well as one mass participation event, Bowling.

The 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be held from December 8 to 15, 2025, lasting for a total of eight days. Hong Kong will organise four competition events, namely, NGD events Boccia, Wheelchair Fencing, Para Table Tennis (TT11), NSOG event Table Tennis; and one mass participation event, Para Dance Sport.

One-year countdown event for 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games (Hong Kong) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Meeting attendance of members of District Councils in 2024

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) made the following clarifications today (January 2) regarding certain media reports on the meeting attendance of the current-term members of the District Councils (DCs) in 2024:

(1) The current-term DC members were diligent in their work, with over 98 per cent of 470 members having attended all DC meetings or were only absent with the DC's consent; over 90 per cent having attended all committee/working group meetings or were only absent with the DC's consent. Aside from attending DC meetings, each DC member on average attended 28 committee/working group meetings;

(2) all DC members fulfilled the requirement under the Performance Monitoring Guidelines for Members of the DCs (the Guidelines), i.e. attendance rate of not lower than 80 per cent and no DC members were in violation of the requirement; certain reports were incorrect in stating that some DC members were in violation of the Guidelines due to their absence at meetings since absence at an individual meeting was not a violation in itself; and

(3) for the purpose of calculating attendance, the Guidelines stipulate certain reasons for absence that would be consented by the DCs, including sickness and attendance at another meeting or an activity on behalf of the DCs etc. If a DC member were absent from meetings due to the aforementioned reasons with the DC's consent, the absence would not affect his/her attendance rate. If a DC member were absent from meetings due to other reasons (i.e. personal matters), the absence would be counted towards his/her attendance rate.

​The HAD hoped that media outlets and members of the public would have an accurate understanding of DC members' attendance situation at meetings. The current-term DC members' attendance rate at meetings was the highest amongst all previous terms, which fully demonstrated DC members' efforts and work in improving governance at the district level.