The HK Prize is the first of its kind in Asia to recognize and reward outstanding scientific researchers/ teams based in Hong Kong, with the aim of championing the mission of “Boosting Hong Kong and Serving the Country through Technology”, by attracting global top science talent, nurturing forward-looking scientists and together building Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub. The Prize focuses on five fields: Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Life and Health, New Materials and Energy, Advanced Manufacturing and FinTech.
The winner of this year’s prize will receive a sum of money to be used for further research and development work as well as the opportunity to present their ideas to key stakeholders in the sector. The winner will be announced at the upcoming event, which takes place in November.
In the past, the award has been given to a range of different organisations and individuals, including the founder of the New York City-based organization that carries out the prize, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the former chairman of a private equity firm and an American businessman who was awarded the Prize in 2014.
As for this year’s competition, the judges have selected a total of 17 entries as winners across nine categories. These include a number of entries highlighting Hong Kong’s unique history. In particular, two of the winning entries focus on the relationship between China and Hong Kong.
A further interesting entry is a photographic story on the “Hong Kong Immigrants from Guangdong in the 1970s and 80s”, which explores the social movements that affected Hong Kong immigrants from the mainland, as well as the national sentiment during the eight-year war of resistance against Japan. The other winning entry is a piece on the “Hong Kong Immigrants and Chinese Communist Party”, which looks at the controversies surrounding the immigration of migrants from the mainland to Hong Kong.
The final winning entry is a piece that examines the changing nature of Hong Kong and the impact it has had on society as a whole, highlighting the city’s unique position as an international financial centre, a global gateway to the Chinese market and the world beyond. This entry demonstrates the power of photography to capture moments that would otherwise be forgotten, allowing them to speak for themselves and provoking thought amongst the audience.
In this way, the prize serves to highlight a topic that is both sensitive and relevant, demonstrating the strength of the medium. It’s a sign that the field of art is continuing to grow and develop, and we hope that this year’s contest will inspire even more people to share their stories through the medium of film. The Hong Kong Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the industry and we look forward to seeing more submissions in the future! To find out more about how to submit your entry, please click here. The deadline for entries is 31 August.
