Speech by SCST at opening ceremony of "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance"
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the opening ceremony of "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance" today (April 30):
Consul General Christile Drulhe (Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau), Mr Nicholas Hunsworth (Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club), Ms Pansy Ho (Co-chairman of the Board of French May Arts Festival), Mrs Mignonne Cheng, (Co-Chairman of the Board of French May Arts Festival), Mr Vincent Delieuvin (Chief Curator of Italian Painting of the Sixteenth Century, Musée du Louvre), Dr Matteo Gianeselli (Curator of Musée National de la Renaissance and Art Historian), Mr Vincent Larnicol (Vice President of Grand Palais Immersif), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. It is a great pleasure to join you here at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum for the opening of the French May Arts Festival 2026 and this magnificent exhibition, "Meet Mona Lisa and Portraying the Renaissance" - a true cornerstone of this year's Festival.
For more than three decades, the French May has been a crown jewel in Hong Kong's cultural calendar.Year after year, it brings together distinguished artists and audiences who share a deep commitment to cultural excellence from around the world, transforming our city into a vibrant living gallery. This year, under the theme "Re/naissance", I am confident that the Festival will continue to offer an energetic platform for artistic innovation and the exchange of ideas - strengthening the cultural dialogue between France and Hong Kong in unprecedented ways, and drawing visitors who come specifically to experience the rich cultural programmes.
I am particularly pleased to see the collaboration between the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and this year's French May - from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department organising the Mona Lisa exhibition, to the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund providing funding support for various programmes. There is no doubt that this year's French May will once again embody our vision of Hong Kong as an international cultural metropolis, one that beautifully bridges different cultures.
Turning to this exhibition, the "Mona Lisa" truly needs no introduction. She is undoubtedly a highlight of this year's programme. Through the immersive digital journey specially curated by the Louvre and the Grand Palais Immersif, alongside the outstanding artworks on loan from exceptional museums and art institutions, we can step inside the frame and breathe new life into classical heritage. By bringing "Mona Lisa" to our doorstep, we are also offering our community and visitors a unique opportunity to engage with art in a way that is interactive, educational, and deeply moving.
Beyond the exhibition, another highlight to look forward to is the Sino-French Electronic Music Show, at the Central Harbourfront next week. The Show features a diverse lineup of acclaimed performers from France, the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong. With the stunning Victoria Harbour as backdrop, this event promises world-class entertainment and an unforgettable night of great music and joyful moments. Together with more than 100 programmes and educational activities running from May through July, I am confident that this year's Festival will once again transcend cultural boundaries, advance the spirit of cultural exchange, and inspire innovation for the future.
Before I close, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the French May team, the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong, and all the outstanding artists and collaborating organisations for their invaluable contributions and support. I look forward to seeing this vibrant partnership flourish in the years ahead. I wish the Festival and the exhibition every success, and everyone here a very pleasant evening. Thank you.
Source: AI-found images
Leasing arrangements announced for public market stalls in May
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (April 30) that open auctions for a total of 579 stalls in 47 public markets will be held in May. Market stalls not taken at open auctions will be available to the public for renting at their upset prices on May 22 on a first-come, first-served basis.
(1) Open auctions
The types of stalls to be auctioned this time cover cooked food, frozen meat, fresh meat, fresh fish, frozen (chilled) poultry, fruits, vegetables, food-related dry goods and wet goods, non-food-related dry goods and wet goods, tradesman/service trades, siu mei and lo mei, newspaper, etc. The tenancy agreement is a three-year fixed term from June 1, 2026, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on the sizes, locations and vacancy periods of the individual stalls. The upset prices for the stalls in an open auction will be initially fixed at 80 per cent of the open market rent (OMR) if the stalls have been vacant for over six months, and at 60 per cent of the OMR if the vacant period has been over eight months. Relevant information is available on the FEHD website.
The date of the auctions and the number of stalls are as follows:
Kowloon (1)
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Auction date: May 8 (Friday) (am)
Number of stalls: 85
Kowloon (2)
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Auction date: May 8 (Friday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 81
Kowloon (3)
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Auction date: May 11 (Monday) (am)
Number of stalls: 58
New Territories (1)
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Auction date: May 12 (Tuesday) (am)
Number of stalls: 40
New Territories (2)
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Auction date: May 12 (Tuesday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 72
Hong Kong Island and Islands District (except Aberdeen Market) (1)
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Auction date: May 13 (Wednesday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 116
Hong Kong Island and Islands District (except Aberdeen Market) (2)
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Auction date: May 14 (Thursday) (am)
Number of stalls: 116
Aberdeen Market
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Auction date: May 14 (Thursday) (pm)
Number of stalls: 11
The open auctions will be held at Room 410, 4/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon. Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The admission tickets will be issued 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each auction. Persons who want to attend the auctions must wait at the waiting area of the auction venue and produce their Hong Kong identity card or passport for registration. The registered person will then be provided with an admission ticket for the auctions. In addition, eligible bidders after verification will be issued with a bidding paddle for the auction. The FEHD has also invited representatives of the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption to monitor the auctions at the auction venue in order to ensure that the open auctions are conducted in an orderly and fair manner.
(2) Renting at upset prices on first-come, first-served basis
The tenancy agreement for market stalls renting on a first-come, first-served basis is a three-year fixed term from July 1, 2026; while the tenancy agreement for the market stalls at Stanley Waterfront Mart is a four-month fixed term from June 1, 2026, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. The upset prices of the monthly rent of the stalls vary depending on their sizes, locations, vacancy periods and the reduced upset prices from the last open auction of the individual stalls.
In addition, the FEHD Sunlight Market will be available to the public for renting on a first-come, first-served basis. The licence agreement for market stalls in the Sunlight Market is a 24-month fixed term starting from July 1, 2026, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the licence agreement. The licence fee of the stalls varies depending on their sizes.
Members of the public who are interested in renting a market stall at its upset price should approach the following FEHD offices, as appropriate, to apply in person from 9.30am to 12.30pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm on May 22 (Friday):
Districts in which the market stalls are located |
Venues for selection of market stalls |
Hong Kong Island and Islands District |
Hawkers and Markets Section (Hong Kong and Islands) Office, 8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong |
Kowloon |
Hawkers and Markets Section (Kowloon) Office, Room 301-302, 3/F, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot, 87 Yen Chow Street West, Kowloon |
Kwai Tsing District |
Kwai Tsing District Environmental Hygiene Office, 9/F, Kwai Hing Government Offices, 166-174 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories |
North District |
North District Environmental Hygiene Office, 4/F, Shek Wu Hui Municipal Services Building, 13 Chi Cheong Road, Sheung Shui, New Territories |
Sai Kung District |
Sai Kung District Environmental Hygiene Office, 7/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories |
Sha Tin District |
Sha Tin District Environmental Hygiene Office, Units 1201-1207 and 1220-1221, 12/F, Tower 1, Grand Central Plaza, 138 Sha Tin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin, New Territories |
Tai Po District |
Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office, 3/F, Tai Po Complex, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, New Territories |
Tsuen Wan District |
Tsuen Wan District Environmental Hygiene Office, 3/F, Yeung Uk Road Municipal Services Building, 45 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories |
Tuen Mun District |
Tuen Mun District Environmental Hygiene Office, 1/F, Tuen Mun Government Offices Building, 1 Tuen Hi Road, Tuen Mun, New Territories |
Yuen Long District |
Yuen Long District Environmental Hygiene Office, 2/F, Yuen Long Government Offices, 2 Kiu Lok Square, Yuen Long, New Territories |
Relevant information on renting at upset prices on a first-come, first-served basis, will be available on the FEHD website after the open auction.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Bidders or applicants for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for or select the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of the variety of stalls, there will be a restriction on the number of stalls to be rented in the same market by a single tenant. Any person who is currently a stall tenant is not allowed to bid in the first round of auction for any stall in the same market, and will only be allowed to bid for one stall in the second round of auction or to select one stall in the same market on a first-come, first-served basis (except Stanley Waterfront Mart). The existing tenants under the new three-year fixed-term tenancy scheme (i.e. those persons who became stall tenants through the market open auctions after August 2022) are allowed to bid for a stall in the auction or select a stall on a first-come, first-served basis in the same market, but shall vacate the current stall and return it to the FEHD before the effective date of commencement of the new tenancy agreement."
Details of the open auctions and the public market stalls concerned (including stalls for open auction at reduced upset prices) have been uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/open_auction_coming.html). Details on renting public market stalls on a first-come, first-served basis will be uploaded to the FEHD website after open auctions (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/tidy_market/FCFS/index.html). Interested bidders or applicants may visit the department website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office.
Source: AI-found images
