Attention TV/radio announcers:
 
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
 
     â€‹As the Hong Kong Observatory will issue the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 this afternoon (November 9), the carnival of the one-year countdown event for 15th National Games, 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and 9th National Special Olympic Games (Hong Kong) to be held at the Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section) from 2.30pm to 5.30pm today has been cancelled.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 9) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Silverstrand Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, attended the 2024 Hepatobiliary Surgery Academic Conference cum Forum on Organ Transplant and Bionic Medicine of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association in Beijing today (November 9) to exchange views with experts on the latest developments in organ transplantation in the country as well as overseas and explore the strengthening of co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong in areas related to organ donation and transplantation.
 
     Addressing the opening ceremony of the Forum this morning, Professor Lo introduced the recent developments in organ donation and transplantation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). He said, "The HKSAR Government has been stepping up promotion on the spirit of altruism and selfless love demonstrated in organ donation. Since 2016, the second Saturday of every November has been designated as Organ Donation Day, which exactly falls on today. The designation of Organ Donation Day aims at nurturing and promoting a culture that embraces organ donation and encourages members of the public to show support by action for organ donation, thereby rekindling hope for patients awaiting organ transplants to live a new life. As of September this year, the number of registrations in the Centralised Organ Donation Register of the HKSAR has reached an all-time high of over 380 000."
 
     He mentioned that the unprecedented cross-boundary organ donation case by the HKSAR and the Mainland in December 2022 was accomplished with resounding success for Tsz-hei, a then 4-month-old baby girl who had undergone a successful heart transplant. He said, "The success of the first cross-boundary organ donation case not only exemplifies to the fullest the inseparable ties between the Mainland and Hong Kong as well as our shared principle and mission in protecting and saving lives, but also increases the chances of successful organ matches for patients awaiting organ transplants. Riding on this successful experience, the Health Bureau and the Hospital Authority are strenuously working with relevant Mainland authorities to regularise the mechanism for handling emergency organ transplant requests."
 
     He continued, "As stated in the Resolution of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization adopted by the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the country will further reform the medical and healthcare systems and implement a health-first strategy. Organ transplantation is a matter of concern to the life and health of citizens, and also a significant indicator of the national medical development and advancement of civilised society.  The organ donation and transplantation system established by our country comprises five major work systems in organ donation, acquisition and allocation, clinical transplantation services, quality control as well as regulation, thus setting out a work structure in human organ donation and transplantation that is impartial in science, and can safeguard fairness with adherence to ethics and in line with China's national circumstances and culture.  Our country's organ donation and transplantation work has achieved rapid development progress, being ranked second worldwide in the number of organ donations and transplantations and is among the top level of organ transplantation technology internationally."
 
     Under the Belt and Road Life and Health Technology In-depth Cooperation Project Agreement, the Institute of Organ Transplantation and Bionic Medicine of Tsinghua University and the Hong Kong Scientist Association (HKSA) joined forces as strategic partners.  Among their collaboration projects is the establishment of the Belt and Road international innovation and technology center in Hong Kong, including the setting-up of the International Organ Transplantation Innovation Center.
 
     Professor Lo added, "I anticipate that the Institute and the HKSA will actively look into the key core issues of organ donation and transplantation in accordance with the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits, thereby contributing to the national efforts in organ donation and transplantation."
 
     Professor Lo will return to Hong Kong tonight. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, is the Acting Secretary for Health.

  

     With the support of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai (Dubai ETO), the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and the Film Development Fund, the week-long Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation concluded in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A series of new and classic Hong Kong films were on display and received much acclaim from local audiences.
 
     Presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy, the highly anticipated film festival was held from November 2 to 8 (Dubai time) at Dubai's Cinema Akil. A total of eight Hong Kong films were screened, with a wide range of genres, including action, thrillers and romantic dramas to showcase the diversity of Hong Kong's arts and culture. Other than the opening film "True Love, for Once in My Life", local audiences also enjoyed "Once in A Blue Moon", "Time Still Turns the Pages", "Dust to Dust", "Stuntman", "Love Lies", as well as two classic films "A Better Tomorrow" and "In The Mood For Love".
 
     Delon Siu, director of "True Love, for Once in My Life"; Jonathan Li, director of "Dust to Dust"; Gladys Li, actress in "Once in A Blue Moon"; and film critic, Kevin Ma, travelled to Dubai to attend the opening reception of the film festival organised by the Dubai ETO and to interact with local film enthusiasts after the screenings. They also attended a forum held at the American University of Sharjah in UAE to discuss with students the future of storytelling in Hong Kong cinema.
 
      Speaking at the reception to over 100 guests, the Deputy Director of the Dubai ETO, Mr Leo Poon, promoted Hong Kong's unique position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges. He remarked that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to fostering the cultural development of Hong Kong, which is a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures with extensive international connections.
 
     "As proposed by the Chief Executive in the 2024 Policy Address, the  Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will formulate the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development to promote the development of diverse arts and culture with an international perspective, and to foster arts and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. The Government also announced in the 2024-25 Budget that it will inject more than HK$4 billion in total into the Film Development Fund and the CreateSmart Initiative to support projects in various areas such as film, arts and design. We look forward to having more excellent local arts and cultural programmes and talents in the Middle East to showcase Hong Kong's unique charm as the East-meets-West Centre for international cultural exchange."
 
     Looking ahead, the Dubai ETO will continue to promote cultural exchanges as well as Hong Kong's high-quality cultural and creative industries through its regular offerings as well as novel events in the region.

            

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (November 9). They are, on Hong Kong Island, the Royal British Legion (Hong Kong & China Branch); in Kowloon, Kwun Tong Methodist Social Service; and in the New Territories, Asbury Methodist Social Service, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.

     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people to distinguish among the three flag-selling activities.

     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on November 9 is as follows:
 

     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.

     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.