Institute of Philanthropy collaborates with the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Palace Museum to launch “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum”

As one of the highlights of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Year of the Horse campaign, the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Palace Museum, with exclusive sponsorship from the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), today launched “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum”. Presenting nearly 100 horse‑themed paintings from more than 60 renowned artists, spanning the Yuan dynasty to the 20th century, the exhibition celebrates the horses as an enduring symbol of perseverance, vitality and national spirit in Chinese culture.

Guests tour the “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum” exhibition.

The exhibition is part of a five-year collaboration between the Palace Museum and IoP to promote Chinese culture and nurture arts-technology talent in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. The aim is to help the younger generation deepen its understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture, while showcasing it in fresh, digital ways. Through interactive experiences with artificial intelligence, lectures and workshops, the exhibition highlights how technology can bring tradition to life. Beyond artistic appreciation, it underscores the strategic role of culture in fostering identity and pride, and in strengthening social cohesion across Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

Officiating guests at the launch ceremony were HKSAR Deputy Financial Secretary, Michael Wong Wai-lun (5th left); Deputy Director General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Lin Nan (4th right); Executive Deputy Director of the Palace Museum, Lou Wei (5th right); Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, The Hon Martin Liao (4th left); Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and IoP Chairman, Lester Huang (3rd right); Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and Deputy Chairman of IoP, Ann Kung (2nd right); Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and IoP Director, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (2nd left); Chairman of the Board of Hong Kong Palace Museum, Leo Kung (3rd left); Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Betty Fung (1st left); and Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Dr Louis Ng (1st right).

Officiating guests at the launch ceremony were HKSAR Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun; Deputy Director General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Lin Nan; Executive Deputy Director of the Palace Museum, Lou Wei; Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, The Hon Martin Liao; Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and IoP Chairman, Lester Huang; Trustee of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and Deputy Chairman of IoP, Ann Kung; Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and IoP Director, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges; Chairman of the Board of Hong Kong Palace Museum, Leo Kung; Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Betty Fung; and Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, Dr Louis Ng.

Guests tour the “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum” exhibition.

Speaking at the ceremony, Michael Wong, Deputy Financial Secretary of the Government of the HKSAR, expressed his gratitude to the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the Palace Museum for jointly organising this exhibition, bringing nearly 100 precious equine paintings to Hong Kong. “Since its opening in 2022, the Hong Kong Palace Museum has greatly contributed to promoting cultural tourism in Hong Kong, staging more than thirty exhibitions and welcoming over four million visitors to date,” he said. “The museum has become a must-visit destination for many tourists to Hong Kong. It has exerted tremendous international influence in telling the good stories of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, further promoting Chinese culture.”

The exhibition is one of the highlights of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Year of the Horse campaign, presenting nearly 100 horse‑themed paintings spanning the Yuan dynasty to the 20th century.

The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, a founding funder of IoP together with its Charities Trust, said, “The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust established the Institute of Philanthropy as an independent ‘think-fund do’ tank for China, Asia and beyond. In 2024, IoP announced a donation of RMB 371 million to launch a five-year collaboration programme with the Palace Museum to promote the excellence of traditional Chinese culture, and to deepen understanding and recognition of Chinese history and culture among younger generations in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. This exhibition is a key component of the programme and one of the highlights of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Year of the Horse campaign. Featuring a variety of cultural, arts and community initiatives throughout the year, we  aim to spread joyful celebration across the city, promote tourism and advance the development of sports, including horse sports.”

The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, delivers a speech at the launch ceremony of the “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum” exhibition.

Lou Wei, Executive Deputy Director of the Palace Museum, added, “The Palace Museum has long maintained a close partnership with the Hong Kong Palace Museum, collaborating to showcase the finest of Chinese art and culture to both local and international audiences, and to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding. This exhibition forms an integral part of a five-year collaboration between the Palace Museum and the Institute of Philanthropy, which aims to promote Chinese culture and nurture arts-technology talent. Horses were not only a vital means of travel in ancient times and representations of ceremonial standards, they also served as the foundation of national defence. They stand as a vivid symbol of the Chinese nation’s resilience and unwavering spirit. With a focus on equine motifs, ‘Heavenly Horses’ guides visitors to explore the artistic vision of renowned masters and uncovers the social landscapes, spiritual aspiration, and cultural exchanges of different eras, offering a deeper understanding of the profound richness and refined subtleties of Chinese civilisation.”

Guests tour the “Heavenly Horses: Masterpieces from the Palace Museum” exhibition.

As part of this collaboration, IoP is advancing a strategy of cultural dissemination that combines digital innovation with traditional heritage. The goal is to nurture a generation that carries a strong sense of national identity while engaging confidently with the world, deepening recognition of Chinese history and culture both locally and globally. Building on this vision, IoP is seeking synergy to inspire innovative ideas to address the needs of Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland – contributing to wisdom and solutions that promote the development of national and global philanthropy.

The exhibition is one of the highlights of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Year of the Horse campaign, presenting nearly 100 horse‑themed paintings spanning the Yuan dynasty to the 20th century.

The exhibition is part of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign, which aims to honour the profound partnership between human and horse and to unite the community through thrilling races, international equestrian spectacles and a special series of cultural, sporting and family events. The year-long campaign is a community celebration, a tourist attraction and an opportunity to promote equine and community sports development. Complimentary tickets and free guided tours of the exhibition will be provided to underprivileged groups and students.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the PBC forum, PBC 2026 took place at West Kowloon Cultural District on September 7 and 8. Convened by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust in association with the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), the two-day event brought together over 2,000 delegates and leaders from the worlds of philanthropy, sport, business, government, academia and the social sector to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping philanthropy.

Officiating at the forum’s opening ceremony was HKSAR Government Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki; the Club’s Chairman The Hon Martin Liao; and Club CEO and IoP Director Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges. 

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao said, “Including this year, PBC will have engaged more than 10,000 participants over the past decade and featured more than 380 speakers from over 40 countries and regions – making it one of the world’s largest philanthropic assemblies. PBC 2026 examines the need for systems change, new approaches to capital and the capabilities required to deliver impact. It explores how cross-sector collaboration and multi-stakeholder partnerships can drive sustainable and lasting outcomes. Together, these contributions reflect PBC’s continuing role as a platform for sharing ideas, advancing understanding and connecting leaders around the practical solutions needed to address the challenges of our time.”

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of PBC 2026

Since its first edition in 2016, PBC has grown into one of the world’s largest philanthropy forums. Adopting the theme “Leaping for Impact”, this year’s forum is one of the highlights of the Club’s Year of the Horse campaign. Inspired by the Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, and the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality, the forum explored what philanthropy can learn from sport in areas such as discipline, focus, resilience and teamwork.

Thematic discussions over the two days addressed pressing social issues including health, the well-being of older adults, urban poverty alleviation, heritage conservation, youth positive trajectory development, climate resilience and inclusive employment. Through Impact Studios, Co-Learning Workshops and other extended programmes it connected ideas with practical implementation and fostered collaborations that can generate tangible benefits for communities.

Asia-Pacific Philanthropy: Opportunities and Capital in Transition

A key topic of conversation at PBC 2026 was how new capital can be channeled into more catalytic and sustainable solutions. Club Deputy Chairman and IoP Chairman, Lester Huang, said this presents a significant opportunity to transform not only the volume of philanthropic giving, but also how philanthropic capital is deployed. The priority should be to direct capital towards solutions that are evidence-based, outcome-focused and capable of delivering sustainable benefits over the long term.

Club Deputy Chairman and IoP Chairman, Lester Huang

Huang added that The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has adopted an impact-led approach and initiated its own Trust-initiated Projects working in conjunction with the HKSAR Government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academia and community partners. The Trust also supports community partners through charitable donations for projects serving people from all walks of life in Hong Kong.

Moderated by Club Steward The Hon Bernard Chan (right), former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former United Nations Development Programme Administrator Helen Clark (left) delivered the opening keynote entitled “A New Era for Philanthropy: Leading Through Complexity”

Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Club’s CEO and IoP Director, delivered the forum’s closing remarks, echoing insights from forum speakers and reflecting on the sector’s evolving journey. “If there is one lesson that has emerged consistently over the past two days, it is that meaningful impact does not happen by accident. It requires vision, discipline and commitment. But above all, it requires collaboration.” He added: “No organisation, foundation, government or business can address today’s challenges alone. Partnerships are key, but equally important is finding the right partners: those who bring complementary strengths, share our purpose are committed to achieving meaningful outcomes together.”

Club Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Institute of Philanthropy, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, delivers closing remarks at PBC 2026

The fourth plenary, entitled “Two Playbooks, One Goal: Navigating Social Mobility in Asia’s Twin Cities”, was moderated by The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR (centre). It featured The Hon Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government (left), and Tan See Leng, Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy & Industry) and Former Minister for Manpower, Singapore (right)

The fifth plenary, entitled “Expanding the Arena: Philanthropy, Leadership, and Pathways Beyond Sport”, featured a discussion between Olympic gold medallists Deng Yaping (1st left), Li Xiaopeng (2nd left), and Yang Yang (2nd right), together with 2026 international football tournament referee Ma Ning (centre)

Hari Menon, President of Global Growth & Opportunity at the Gates Foundation, delivers the forum’s opening keynote address on day two in a session entitled “The New Growth Agenda: Philanthropy’s Role in Expanding Opportunity for All”

Witnessed by Club Steward Jackson Woo (left), an MOU on early childhood education and development was signed by Dr Gabriel Leung, Club Executive Director, Charities and Community (right), and H.E. Dr Kim Sethany, Permanent Secretary of State of Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (centre), reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening development foundations and better life trajectories for children

The forum’s closing plenary featured an intergenerational dialogue between a sport leader-turned-philanthropist and aspiring young athletes who want to drive change. The speakers were Yvette Kong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arelyx and Olympic swimmer (1st left); Jacqueline Lai, Hong Kong, China equestrian team rider and Asian Games medallist (2nd left); and Cado Lee, two-time Asian Games gold medallist and a Hong Kong, China Rugby Sevens player (2nd right). The panel was moderated by Yao Ming, Founder and Chairman of the Yao Foundation (1st right)

The Launch of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust Impact Report

The Club and its Charities Trust officially released the first edition of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust Impact Report on the first day of the forum, detailing the many ways in which the Club has improved lives and strengthened communities since its earliest recorded donation in 1915. The Club has developed a new three-tier hierarchical measurement framework, evaluating impact at project, programme and Trust levels.

The report highlights three key insights. First, resources should be more precisely targeted towards the most marginalised and underserved populations to maximise the impact of philanthropy. Second, initiatives should be designed with long-term sustainability in mind, delivering intensive and sustained interventions that empower beneficiaries to achieve lasting positive behavioural change. Third, impact measurement must incorporate flexible, prolonged follow-up periods tailored to the life cycle of each programme, enabling a more comprehensive assessment of long-term outcomes. The report sets out the Trust’s approach to impact measurement and illustrates the social impact generated by the many initiatives it has created or supported.

The Commission on Asian Philanthropy Launched its Interim Report

The Commission on Asian Philanthropy, co-convened by IoP and the Asian Philanthropy Congress (APHIC), also launched its Interim Report, presenting the first comprehensive research on the scale and scope of philanthropic ecosystems across participating Asian jurisdictions.

Citing the report’s estimates, domestic philanthropic giving across 10 jurisdictions representing 70 percent of Asia’s population and 80 percent of its GDP, reached US$109 billion in 2024, equivalent to more than US$1 trillion over the next decade. The report found that Asia’s philanthropy is shaped by everyday giving, contributions from businesses and public investment, reflecting a model in which community, market and state actors participate in philanthropy together. This broad-based mix of support suggests a philanthropic ecosystem characterised by participation from across society and a strong foundation for collaboration in pursuit of shared national priorities.

Huang said Asia is becoming an increasingly important force in global philanthropy, not only through growing capital but also through ideas, knowledge and leadership. As philanthropic activity continues to expand across the region, Asia has an opportunity to contribute its own perspectives and solutions to shared global challenges. The significance of philanthropic ecosystems cannot be understood through funding alone. Beyond financial resources, they contribute capabilities such as trusted networks, mobilisation around shared values, institutional legitimacy and long-term commitment that can support broader development outcomes.

The Commission on Asian Philanthropy launched its Interim Report during the forum. The Club CEO and IoP Director, Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (centre), together with Commissioners from The Commission on Asian Philanthropy, pose for a group photo

Key finding of the report: philanthropy in Asia is not dominated by a single model, but by five models that collectively facilitate domestic giving: community-led, faith-based, corporate-led, state-led and ultra-high-net-worth individual-led philanthropy. The report also suggests three priority areas for further development:

1.Improving data visibility on philanthropic resources and capabilities;

2.Cultivating philanthropic models by learning from effective growth playbooks across the region;

3.Integrating philanthropic ecosystems as strategic assets in the planning and coordination of major social and development priorities.

Huang pointed out that the report’s findings can help decision-makers understand the sector’s resources and capabilities more systematically. They also reinforce the need for philanthropy to collaborate more closely, using evidence and impact measurement to direct resources effectively and generate tangible, sustainable outcomes for communities.

HKJC Remains the Leading Corporate Donor

In line with the theme of PBC 2026, The Bridgespan Group unveiled a new report examining what distinguishes family giving in Asia and how the world’s wealthiest families approach philanthropy. Supported by a Funders Council comprising IoP, The Rockefeller Foundation and the Gates Foundation, the research explores the relationship between family, business and philanthropy across the region. Separately, Bridgespan’s latest corporate giving research found that The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust remain the leading corporate donor in Asia and the eighth largest globally, with an annual average of approved donations of US$774 million from 2020 to 2024.

IoP Marks Third Anniversary with Substantive Progress

Established at PBC 2023 and now in its third year, IoP has made substantive progress, said Lester Huang, Club Deputy Chairman and IoP Chairman. Through the three mutually reinforcing pillars of “think”, “fund” and “do”, IoP supports philanthropic thought leadership and professionalising the sector.

Looking forward, he noted that IoP will continue to help advance philanthropy “in Asia, for Asia” by generating research and insights, strengthening sector capabilities, and creating a platform that fosters collaboration among philanthropic leaders and institutions. Through these efforts, IoP seeks to help shape a more connected, confident, and influential Asian philanthropy sector; one that is increasingly able to mobilise resources, share knowledge and address the opportunities and challenges facing the region.

The Club’s support for PBC, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model through which the Club generates sustainable economic and social value for the community through tax contributions, charitable donations and employment opportunities.