The second Philanthropy for Better Cities Forum, convened by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, drew to a memorable close today (21 September). Over 60 prominent speakers and some 1,000 thought leaders and delegates gathered at the two-day forum to exchange views on topics related to five main themes: Leveraging the Market, Sustainable Development, Maximising Impact, Youth & Creativity, and Health & Well-being.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Club Chairman Anthony W K Chow stressed the importance of partnerships and collaboration in philanthropy. “At the Jockey Club our intention is to carry forward the strong partnerships we have forged with the Government, academia and NGOs as we work towards the betterment of our society. We also intend to carry on the dialogue, in particular to share new ideas and fresh perspectives with the NGO community here in Hong Kong” said Mr Chow.

The Philanthropy for Better Cities Forum is the first of its kind in Asia to focus on metropolitan social issues. Through two keynote presentations, four plenary discussions and over 10 track sessions, delegates have been able to explore innovative ways in which different sectors can create social impact, drawing on international case studies with additional flavour from the perspective of Greater China.

Delivering today’s keynote address on the topic of “The Ethics of Market-based Social Impact Work: What are the limits of markets to deliver social good?”, was renowned political philosopher Professor Michael Sandel from Harvard University. Other prominent speakers at today’s sessions included President of the Michael Phelps Foundation Michael Phelps, Founder of The Yao Foundation Yao Ming, and Club Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, who shared their views on the question “Sports and Cities: How can we use sports to improve well-being and achieve social good in cities?”.  

Leading speakers addressing the forum also included Nobel laureate Professor James Heckman from the University of Chicago, Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus, HKSAR Chief Secretary for Administration the Hon Matthew Cheung, Secretary for Innovation and Technology the Hon Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Dr the Hon Law Chi-kwong, and Hong Kong Monetary Authority Chief Executive Norman Chan.

For more details, please visit the forum website: http://www.citiesphilanthropy.com/en/ 

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charity and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2017/18, the Club made a record return to the Government of HK$22.6 billion in duty and profits tax and contributed HK$1.2 billion to the Lotteries Fund. Approved charity donations were HK$4.2 billion. The Club is Hong Kong's largest single taxpayer and one of the city’s major employers. Its Charities Trust is also one of the world's top ten charity donors. The Club is always "riding high together for a better future" with the people of Hong Kong.