Hong Kong Jockey Club Pledges Continued Sports Support After Donating Nearly HK$6.7 Billion Over Decade at Community Day

Over the years, The Hong Kong Jockey Club has consistently supported the advancement of the country’s sports development and the promotion of inclusivity in sports, encouraging people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to lead active and healthy lifestyles. In the last ten years alone, the Club’s Charities Trust has provided nearly HK$6.7 billion to support sports development at both elite and community levels.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism (3rd left); Lin Nan, 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 (2nd right); The Hon Martin Liao, Club Chairman (3rd right); Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Club Chief Executive Officer (2nd left); The Hon Kenneth Fok, Member of the Legislative Council (1st right), and George Tsoi, Commissioner for Sports (1st left) officiate at The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Day.

Today, the Club stated that it will continue its efforts to advance sports development in Hong Kong. By bringing major sports events into the community and progressing towards professional and industry development, the Club aims to support the HKSAR Government’s efforts to promote sports in the community, support elite sports, maintain Hong Kong’s status as a centre for major international sports events, enhance professionalism and develop sports as an industry.

This year’s The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Day was held at Sha Tin Racecourse, attracting over 200 charity and community representatives. The ceremony was officiated by The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government; Lin Nan, 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; The Hon Martin Liao, Club Chairman; Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Club Chief Executive Officer; The Hon Kenneth Fok, Member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR; and George Tsoi, Commissioner for Sports of the HKSAR Government.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao said this year’s Community Day, featuring sports as its theme, aimed to showcase the Club’s contribution and strong commitment to sports development in Hong Kong.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao highlighted that horse racing is a symbol of the city’s prosperity and stability under One Country, Two Systems, and remains a highly popular sport, embodying Hong Kong’s “can-do” spirit. This year’s Community Day features sports as its theme, showcasing the Club’s contribution and strong commitment to sports development in Hong Kong. Through its unique integrated business model, the Club delivers world-class horse racing and responsible wagering, supports the HKSAR Government in combatting illegal gambling, and generates economic and social value for Hong Kong through tax contributions, charity donations and employment opportunities for the betterment of society. In the last financial year, the Club contributed a total of HK$39.1 billion to society, including HK$9.0 billion in approved charity donations. The Club is Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, with its Charities Trust among the biggest donors worldwide and the largest in Asia.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, noted that the Club has long been one of the Government’s most valued partners in the promotion of sports.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasised the Government’s continued commitment to investing in and promoting sports development in Hong Kong. She noted that the Club has long been one of the Government’s most valued partners in the promotion of sports, from supporting the construction of the Hong Kong Sports Institute (formerly the Jubilee Sports Centre) in the late 1970s to its support for the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, as well as various “M” Mark events including the Hong Kong Sevens, which concludes today at Kai Tak Sports Park.

Officiating guests, Club Stewards and members of the Club’s Board of Management toast the success of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Day.

Going forward, the Club will continue to work alongside stakeholders to contribute to Hong Kong’s sports development blueprint. Leveraging major sports events as a platform, the Club will bring sports culture deeper into the community through continued support for multiple “M” Mark events as an Official Community Partner, enabling broader participation, including among underprivileged groups, to experience the appeal of sports and promote social inclusion. In parallel, new initiatives will continue to be introduced, such as this week’s “Racing with Rugby”, to further enhance the economic impact, international profile and benefits of sports development generated by major events in Hong Kong.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism (centre), together with The Hon Martin Liao, Club Chairman (left) and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Club Chief Executive Officer (right) in a group photo.

The Club will also actively foster a vibrant culture of community sports by developing iconic sports such as equestrian, football, basketball, golf and rugby, broadening the public’s exposure while deepening interest and sports literacy. These diverse activities and support programmes will help enhance youth resilience, improve physical and mental health, and strengthen social cohesion, thereby fostering positive values.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism (right), presents The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy to Alan Hu (left), owner of the winning horse Absolute Honour. The historic 170-year-old trophy was generously donated by the late Tobias Brown in recognition of the Club’s charitable contributions to the community.

To further strengthen the sports ecosystem and promote sustainable development, the Club will continue to enhance talent development, strengthen corporate governance and improve management capacity across sports organisations. These efforts will generate greater social impact, raise professional standards across the sector, and support the development of both elite and community sports. Through these initiatives, the Club aims to work closely with the HKSAR Government and partners across society to inject new momentum in local sports development and reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a world-class destination for sports, entertainment and tourism.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy presentation ceremony.

Sports development remains one of the Club’s key focus areas. The Club has long supported a wide range of sports initiatives to promote a healthier and more vibrant society. These include:

• The Trust-initiated and funded JC Fit City, which encourages citizens to incorporate sports and exercise into their daily lives to achieve the World Health Organization’s recommended weekly level of physical activity;

• JC Project MuSE, a school-based music (Mu) and sports (S) education (E) programme for primary school children in the most impoverished areas of Hong Kong;

• The Jockey Club HKFA Football Development Programme, which empowers people of all ages and abilities - including students, parents, coaches and seniors - to experience the joy of football;

• The Jockey Club Youth Football Academy Summit, which provides a platform for young footballers from different areas to learn, exchange views, and understand cultural differences.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (centre), together with JC Fit City participant Yui (right) and JC Fit City project partner representative Lily Tse (left) pose for a photo. Yui shared that the JC Fit City project helped him break the “sport-zero” habit and significantly improve his health.

The Club initiated the annual Community Day race meeting in 2005 as a way of honouring its successful partnerships with Government and community organisations for the betterment of society. This initiative followed the generous donation of a silver racing trophy, over 170 years old, by the late Tobias Brown, in recognition of the Club’s charitable contributions to the community. It has since been renamed The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Trophy. It was won this year by Absolute Honour, ridden by Zac Purton. The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, presented the trophy to winning owner Alan Hu.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club concluded the landmark 10th anniversary and fifth edition of its PBC forum at West Kowloon Cultural District today (8 September). Convened over two days by the Club’s Charities Trust in association with the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), PBC 2026 featured more than 80 eminent speakers and over 2,000 delegates from around the world. Under the central theme of “Leaping for Impact”, the forum brought together leaders from the philanthropic, sports, business, government, academic and social sectors.

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. Interactive Impact Studios, Co-Learning Workshops and other extended programmes further bridged visionary ideas with practical implementation, examining how meaningful social impact can be achieved on the ground.

To mark the forum’s conclusion and celebrate a decade of global dialogue, a PBC 2026 Gala Dinner was held at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. It brought together delegates from the Chinese Mainland and across the world including foundation leaders, government officials, tertiary institution representatives and community leaders. Among the distinguished attendees were Dr the Hon Starry Lee, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR; The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR; Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao; Club Deputy Chairman and IoP Chairman Lester Huang; Club Stewards; Club CEO and IoP Director Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges; and other members of the Club’s Board of Management.

Dr the Hon Starry Lee, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR (front row, 5th left); The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members, Executive Council of the HKSAR (front row, 4th right); Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao (front row, 5th right); Club Deputy Chairman and IoP Chairman Lester Huang (front row, 3rd right); Club Stewards; Club CEO and IoP Director Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (front row, 4th left); and other members of the Club’s Board of Management pose for a photo at the PBC 2026 Gala Dinner.

Dr the Hon Starry Lee, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR, said at the Gala Dinner that, over the past decade, the PBC forum had not only borne witness to the development of philanthropy, but had also promoted exchange and collaboration among the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and the international community. Looking ahead to the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, she noted that philanthropic models that take a long-term perspective and place greater emphasis on capacity building and talent development would become increasingly important.

Dr the Hon Starry Lee, Member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR, delivers a speech at the PBC 2026 Gala Dinner.

The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council of the HKSAR, said: “Meaningful achievement is built through clarity of purpose, discipline, resilience, honest self-assessment, and an unyielding determination to improve. Those same qualities are becoming increasingly essential in philanthropy, and The Hong Kong Jockey Club is especially well placed to lead this conversation because it sits at the unique intersection of sport, public purpose and philanthropy at scale.”

The Hon Mrs Regina Ip, Convenor of the Non-official Members, Executive Council of the HKSAR, delivers a speech at the PBC 2026 Gala Dinner.

Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao expressed his profound gratitude to all speakers, panellists, moderators and participants of PBC 2026 for bringing their remarkable range of experience and perspectives to the forum. He praised the progress that PBC has made over the past decade in addressing prevailing social challenges and inspiring cross-sector and cross-regional partnerships, to its position today as one of the largest assemblies of the global philanthropic community worldwide.

Speaking at the Gala Dinner, Club Chairman The Hon Martin Liao expressed his profound gratitude to all speakers, panellists, moderators and participants for bringing a remarkable range of experience and perspectives to PBC 2026.

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.

Earlier today, the opening keynote address was delivered by Hari Menon, President of Global Growth & Opportunity at the Gates Foundation. Entitled “The New Growth Agenda: Philanthropy’s Role in Expanding Opportunity for All”, it examined the catalytic role of philanthropy in enabling more people to contribute to and benefit from economic growth.

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”.

As part of the Club’s ongoing efforts to promote education and development equity, and following the adoption and adaptation of the CoolThink@JC curriculum in Cambodian primary schools earlier this year, an MOU on early childhood education and development was signed today. Witnessed by Club Steward Jackson Woo, the MOU was signed by Dr Gabriel Leung, Club Executive Director, Charities and Community, and H.E. Dr Kim Sethany, Permanent Secretary of State of Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, reaffirming the shared commitment to strengthening development foundations and better life trajectories for children.

The Impact Studio session, “Bridging the Gap: Advancing Educational Equity Through Computational Thinking”, explored strategies to achieve sustainable and impactful digital education. Speakers included Kim Sethany, Permanent Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Cambodia (2nd right); Huang Ronghuai, Co-Dean of the Smart Learning Institute at Beijing Normal University and Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Artificial Intelligence in Education (2nd left); and Stephen Cheung, President of Saint Francis University and Voting Member of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (1st left). The panel was moderated by Kerry Lee, President and Chair Professor of Child Development at Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education (1st right).

The forum’s closing plenary featured an intergenerational dialogue between a sports leader- turned-philanthropist and aspiring young athletes who want to drive change. Moderated by Yao Ming, Founder and Chairman of the Yao Foundation, the session examined how athletes can broaden their impact and how personal growth can translate into leadership and community building. The speakers were Yvette Kong, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arelyx and Olympic swimmer; Jacqueline Lai, Hong Kong, China equestrian team rider and Asian Games medallist; and Cado Lee, two-time Asian Games gold medallist and a Hong Kong, China Rugby Sevens player.

Witnessed by Club Steward Jackson Woo (left), an MOU on early childhood education and development was signed today 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 the shared commitment to strengthening development foundations and better life trajectories for children.

In line with this year’s theme, 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 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 andthe eighth largest globally, with an annual average of approved donations of US$774 million from 2020 to 2024.

The Impact Studio session, “Evolving Philanthropy Landscape in China: Corporate, Family, and Cross Border Giving in Practice”, explored how cross-border platforms intersect with the charity policy environment in the Greater Bay Area to enable collaboration at greater scale. Speakers included Wang Zhenyao, Founding Dean of the China Philanthropy Research Institute at Beijing Normal University (2nd right); Wang Ming, Professor, School of Public Policy and Management and Founding Dean of the Institute for Philanthropy at Tsinghua University (2nd left); and Jin Jinping, Associate Professor at Peking University Law School (1st left). The panel was moderated by Wang Xiangwei, former editor-in-chief, South China Morning Post, and senior visiting scholar at Harvard Kennedy School (1st right).

Initiated in 2016, PBC has served as a flagship platform for global philanthropic thought leadership and cross-sector collaboration, engaging some 10,000 participants and more than 380 speakers from over 40 countries and regions throughout the past decade.

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 Club’s support for PBC 2026, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.