Speech by Acting SITI at Opening Ceremony and Science Symposium of 2025 Future Science Prize Week
Following is the speech by the Acting Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, at the Opening Ceremony and Science Symposium of 2025 Future Science Prize Week today (October 24):
Professor Lo (Co-Chair of the Program Committee of the 2025 Future Science Prize Week, Professor Dennis Lo), Mr Wang (Rotating Chairman of the 2025 Future Science Prize Donor’s Congress, Mr Victor Wang), Professor Warshel (2013 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Professor Arieh Warshel), Ivan (Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Ivan Lee), distinguished guests and speakers, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is really my great pleasure to join you all today at the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 Future Science Prize (FSP) Week in Hong Kong.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Future Science Prize - a milestone that not only celebrates a decade of scientific excellence, but also invites us to look boldly toward the horizon. I am very delighted to welcome you all for the third time here in Hong Kong as the host city of this world-class scientific gathering.
As just introduced by our Professor Dennis Lo, the theme of this year's event "Shining a Light on the Future of Science," could not be more fitting. Science is the torch that illuminates the unknown, the compass that guides us through complexity, and the engine that propels humanity forward. The five-day programmes of the FSP Week will bring together over 100 brilliant minds from around the world to explore the frontiers of knowledge, foster interdisciplinary exchange, and inspire the next generation of thinkers and innovators.
Scientific progress is a long and winding road, it is a journey demands vision, perseverance, and collaboration. That is why the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government has made innovation and technology (I&T) a cornerstone of our development strategy. Guided by the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint promulgated in December 2022, we have rolled out a series of targeted initiatives and invested heavily in infrastructure, talent, R&D (research and development) and industry development to perfect the local I&T ecosystem. And I hope all our initiatives could be beneficial to all of you. Our goal is very clear: to create a fertile ground where innovative ideas can take root, grow, and flourish here in Hong Kong and to help all of you to make your dreams get realised very soon.
Meanwhile, we are also deepening international I&T collaboration as we firmly believe that science knows no borders. Events like the Future Science Prize Week serve as vital platforms for building bridges between disciplines, cultures, and generations. Leveraging the distinctive advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and also being closely connected to the world under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong will continue to play its role as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" in fostering international I&T collaboration.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Future Science Prize Week reflects the highest standards of academic excellence and global perspective. In just a short while, the Science Symposium will commence with a very inspiring keynote address by Professor Arieh Warshel, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. This keynote sets the tone for a week filled with intellectual rigour and visionary dialogue. Indeed, beyond the Symposium, the Future Science Prize Week offers a rich tapestry of events designed to engage, enlighten and inspire. Some highlights include the Laureates' Dialogue with the Youth and the Award Ceremony and Concerts. So I hope that you will find it very fruitful and very meaningful and also very eventful for Hong Kong.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to also express my deepest gratitude to Professor Dennis Lo, Mr Victor Wang, Dr Harry Sham (Co-Chair of the Program Committee of the 2025 Future Science Prize Week) and also the Organising Committee for their tireless efforts in bringing this remarkable event to life. Let us seize this moment - not only to honour the achievements of our laureates, but also to reaffirm our shared belief that science is a force for good. Let us work together to illuminate the path ahead, and may the light empower us to build a better and wiser world - for ourselves and also for generations yet to come.
Lastly, may I wish you all a very rewarding and inspiring Future Science Prize Week 2025. Thank you.
Speech by Acting SITI at Opening Ceremony and Science Symposium of 2025 Future Science Prize Week Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
