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The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) and the Institute of Philanthropy (“IoP”), a charitable organisation established by the Club and its Charities Trust, are pleased to announce today (10 May) the signing of a Memorandum of Co-operation with the Palace Museum, which includes the establishment of The Palace Museum Hong Kong Cultural Exchange Hub in Beijing. Under the Memorandum, the IoP will donate approximately HK$440 million (RMB￥370 million) to promote Chinese culture and values in Hong Kong, the Mainland and worldwide and to support talent development initiatives in the arts technology and cultural sectors.

The Memorandum of Co-operation, namely “Promotion of Chinese Culture and Arts Tech Talent Development in the Mainland and Hong Kong” was signed by Club Chairman Michael Lee and Dr Wang Xudong, Member, Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Director of the Palace Museum. The signing ceremony was attended by Kevin Yeung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”) Government; Xu Li, Level II Bureau Rank Official of the Hong Kong and Macau Work Office of the CPC Central Committee; and Kong Lun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Club Chairman Michael Lee said that the five-year project, drawing on the valuable cultural resources of the Palace Museum in Beijing, will integrate arts and technology to launch a number of cultural exchange, exhibition, talent capacity building and educational programmes. Citizens in the Mainland and Hong Kong, especially young people, will be able to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese history and culture.

Dr Wang Xudong, Member, Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Director of the Palace Museum said that the mission of the Palace Museum is to protect and carry forward the very best of traditional Chinese culture. This co-operation with The Hong Kong Jockey Club is an important contribution to developing Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. It also reflects the Palace Museum’s commitment to sharing its cultural resources and to forging relationships with new partners in the spirit of openness and cultural exchange.

Club CEO and Director of the Institute of Philanthropy Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges said that the aim of the IoP is to become a global “think-fund-do” tank for China and Asia. In particular to facilitate philanthropic conversations between the East and the West. Here it is notable that the 10th China Charity Annual Conference identified the establishment of the IoP as one of the most important philanthropic developments in the country last year.

The Memorandum of Co-operation comprises the following proposed items:

• The establishment of The Palace Museum Hong Kong Cultural Exchange Hub at the Palace Museum. This includes restoration and conservation of the historic Chengqiangong, the organisation of thematic exhibitions on the horse in history and culture or as related to the palace, and cultural exchanges between young arts tech talent in Hong Kong and the Mainland.
• Touring exhibitions in Beijing and Hong Kong accompanied by related educational activities to foster cultural exchange between the Mainland and Hong Kong.
• Digital exhibitions and pop-up activities to deepen the appreciation of Chinese history and culture among the younger generation in the Mainland and Hong Kong. In addition, mobile digital exhibitions will travel to schools in Hong Kong and the Mainland to promote Chinese culture and values.
• Capacity building for arts tech talent in the Mainland and Hong Kong, including nurturing aspiring arts tech talents.
• Knowledge dissemination and education projects to promote Chinese culture, including forums, archaeological research and the production of documentaries.

The collaboration with the Palace Museum underlines the Club’s commitment to promoting Chinese culture in support of the Central Government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan. Notably, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, funded by a donation of HK$3.5 billion from the Club’s Charities Trust - the Club’s largest single charity donation to date - is organising a series of exhibitions and educational initiatives with the Club’s support.

The collaboration also reflects the Club’s commitment to building an inclusive, creative and vibrant Hong Kong, where everyone’s life can be improved through the arts. Like all its donations, it is made possible by the Club’s unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.