Jockey Club’s Hong Kong Sevens community programmes enable more than 10,000 beneficiaries to enjoy the mega-sports event

The Hong Kong Jockey Club congratulates Hong Kong China Rugby on the success of the 2025 Hong Kong Sevens, which concluded this evening (30 March). Sevens fever has well and truly returned to the city. Club Chairman Michael Lee presented the Women’s Bowl to the National Team, and joined HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee in presenting the Men's Cup to the champion team – Argentina.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee (second row, 6th left), Club Chairman Michael Lee (second row, 2nd left), and guests at the awards presentation ceremony for the Hong Kong Sevens.

This is the fourth consecutive occasion that the Club hassupported the Hong Kong Sevens as Official Community Partner. This year, more than 10,000 beneficiaries of differing ages, abilities and backgrounds have been given opportunities to experience a range of sports including rugby through the Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes. More than 30,000 people have benefited over the years, facilitating citywide engagement in sports events.

Club Chairman Michael Lee (back row, 6th right) presents the Women’s Bowl to the National Team.

The programmes kicked off in early March with the Jockey Club Multi Sport Shared Learning Experience, enabling students to experience the positive energy that sport can bring. In mid-March, the Jockey Club Elite Athletes Sharing Session cum Sport for All Carnival saw nine elite athletes from rugby, horse racing, football, basketball, cricket, gymnastics, obstacle-course-racing and breakdancing share their experiences with a live audience and online. They discussed the meaning and importance of sport’s capacity for inclusivity and for enabling people to pursue their dreams. The carnival featured seven sports-themed booths, giving primary, secondary school students and general public opportunities to enjoy different sports in a relaxed and fun environment.

Club Chairman Michael Lee and the National Team

The three-day Hong Kong Sevens tournament was held for the first time at Kai Tak Sports Park. At the event, Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes added colour to the excitement of the rugby matches. The programmes included the Jockey Club Mini Rugby Showcase, allowing young local rugby players to showcase their skills in the main stadium and experience involvement in a mega-sports event. In addition, the Jockey Club Sevens School Tour and the Jockey Club Sevens Community Experience enabled students and underprivileged groups including the elderly and people with disabilities to experience a world-class tournament. Members of the Club’s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team also accompanied wheelchair users to the event and onsite and provided facepainting services. The CARE Band comprising of CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team members performed at the Fan Village, creating a fun atmosphere. 

Club Chairman Michael Lee (back row, 8th right), Club Steward Andrew Weir (back row, 7th left), Club Steward Philip Lo (back row, 6th left) and wheelchair-bound beneficiaries of the Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes at the Jockey Club booth.

Club Chairman Michael Lee (right) and beneficiaries of the Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes visit the Jockey Club booth.

Club Chairman Michael Lee (left) receives thanks from beneficiaries of the Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes.

Members of the Club’s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team paint a mural for Club Chairman Michael Lee (right).

Members of the Club’s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team accompany wheelchair users at the tournament.

Members of the Club’s CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team accompany wheelchair users at the tournament.

Volunteers from JC VOLUNTEER TOGETHER lead a Jockey Club Sevens School Tour at Kai Tak Sports Park to raise awareness of the benefits of sports including rugby.

The CARE Band, comprising CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team members, perform at the Fan Village.

Club Steward Anita Fung (back row, centre) and Chief Executive Officer Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (left) visit the Jockey Club booth.

The Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes held the Jockey Club Elite Athletes Sharing Session cum Sport for All Carnival in mid-March, bringing together different sectors of society.

The Jockey Club Sevens Community Programmes held the Jockey Club Elite Athletes Sharing Session cum Sport for All Carnival in mid-March, bringing together different sectors of society.

Participants of the JC Junior Sports Reporters Programme conduct an on-site interview with Club Jockey Karis Teetan (2nd left) at the Hong Kong Sevens.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has been delighted to support the French May Arts Festival for 15 consecutive years, including this year’s opening programme – The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance. Focusing on the iconic Italian Renaissance painting, the Mona Lisa, the exhibition explores the creative spirit and aesthetic ideas of the Renaissance through a multi-media journey centred on this celebrated masterpiece. The narrative is further enriched by art treasures from leading European institutions. The exhibition will be on view at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum from 1 May to 27 July.

Guests tour The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

The opening ceremony for the exhibition was held today (30 April). Officiating guests included Rosanna Law, HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Manda Chan, HKSAR Government Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; Nicholas Hunsworth, Club Steward; Christile Drulhe, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, and other guests.

Rosanna Law, HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism (centre); Manda Chan, HKSAR Government Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (1st left); Nicholas Hunsworth, Club Steward (4th right); Christile Drulhe, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau (4th left); Pansy Ho, Co-Chairman of the Board of French May Arts Festival (3rd left); Vincent Larnicol, Vice President of Grand Palais Immersif (3rd right); Vincent Delieuvin, Chief Curator of Italian Painting of the Sixteenth Century of Musée du Louvre (2nd left); Dr Matteo Gianeselli, Curator and Art Historian of Musee de la Renaissance (2nd right); Brian Lam, Museum Director of Hong Kong Heritage Museum (1st right) and other guests at the opening ceremony of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

Speaking at the ceremony, Club Steward Nicholas Hunsworth said the exhibition offers an unprecedented hybrid experience, blending centuries-old legacy with immersive technology, and culminating with the vision of Asian artists as a bridge between East and West. The Club’s support for the exhibition, together with its role as the exclusive sponsor of The Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes, reflects its commitment to nurturing talent, fostering arts appreciation and supporting cultural development in Hong Kong. It also aligns with the Central Government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as outlined in the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

Club Steward Nicholas Hunsworth delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition is a multi-media showcase that invites visitors to appreciate the Mona Lisa from a new perspective. Specially created for Hong Kong by the Musée du Louvre and the Grand Palais Immersif, the exhibition is narrated by the Mona Lisa herself through a monologue that reveals the captivating stories behind her mysterious smile. Selected treasures from the Musée National de la Renaissance of France, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana of Italy and Ateliers d’art Grand Palais RMN are also featured. Most of the exhibits are being shown in Hong Kong for the first time, including four original sketches and notes by Leonardo da Vinci alongside masterpieces from the Renaissance, including sculptures, paintings, drawings and engravings.

Selected exhibits at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

In addition, the exhibition offers interactive multimedia displays that introduce Leonardo's painting techniques, playful games, as well as an immersive photo booth that allows visitors to step into the world of the Mona Lisa. These elements guide audiences to explore and appreciate the iconic Mona Lisa from new perspectives, while delving into the vision and spirit of innovation that defined the Renaissance. The exhibition also features three items from the collection of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, along with paintings by Chinese Mainland artist Xu Lei, presenting Asian artistic perspectives while illustrating the influence of 14th‑century European culture, thereby creating a narrative that bridges East and West. For further details please visit: https://hk.heritage.museum/en/exhibitions/monalisa2026.html

Guests tour The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

The Club’s Charities Trust is also supporting other programmes in the French May Arts Festival under the theme of “Re/naissance”, including Rendezvous @ Tai Kwun, which features Voûte, an outdoor performance in the Parade Ground by Cirque du Corbak of CNAC, France’s National Center for Circus Arts, which blends music, visual art and technology. In addition, a four-day artist-in-residence programme will promote cultural exchange and collaboration between French and local performers.

Selected exhibits at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

Selected exhibits at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

In addition, the long-established The Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes will continue to provide enriching educational and outreach activities including guided tours, workshops, talks and screenings. As every year, the Club will provide support for accessibility services to make the festival more accessible to all.

Selected exhibits at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.

The Club’s support for the French May Arts Festival, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

Guests tour The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition.