The HK Prize
The hk prize is awarded to individuals or institutions who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science, technology, and the transformation of those achievements into social and economic value. The judging process is independent and objective. The winners are announced at an annual award ceremony attended by representatives of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, sponsoring enterprises, and celebrities.
The prize was established in memory of George B. Endacott who was responsible for the re-establishment of the Department of History after World War II. He also played a major role in the development of the Faculty of Arts and was a distinguished research historian. Friends and former students of the Department raised funds for this prize in his honour, which was subsequently donated to the University.
This year, 78 prizes were awarded in a variety of categories including news reporting, writing, photography, and news video. Copy editor James Cook won the second runner-up in the Best News Headline category for his innovative piece In The Green Fast Lane, which highlights Hong Kong’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of public and private electric vehicles.
Broad Daylight, about a reporter uncovering cases of abuse in care homes, won multiple awards, including the award for best cinematography, and Mad Fate, about a gangster who exposes corruption in the Hong Kong financial sector, scooped seven awards, including best film, best director, and two acting prizes for Jennifer Yu and Rachel Lee.
To ensure the fairness of the draw, a number of measures have been put in place. Employees from HKJC’s security and customer service departments carefully inspect, test, and weigh the balls used in the draw on a daily basis. Both the balls and the drawing machine are locked in a secure area after each draw. The winning numbers are then matched to the tickets on a computer system that is constantly monitored by security personnel. The draw’s results are then verified by a panel of judges before they are announced. In addition to the Judges’ Prize, a Public Vote Prize of HK$4,000 is awarded to the student artist with the most votes from members of the public. The public vote starts on 18 September and ends on 30 November. More information is available here.