The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
​ The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, and Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr He Jing today (December 12) officiated at the celebration ceremony of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA).
Over 100 distinguished guests attended the 50th anniversary celebration ceremony, including Dr Donald Liao and other former HA chairmen, members of the Executive Council and Legislative Council, HA members, dignitaries, professionals from various sectors, and representatives of HA staff associations.
Delivering his speech, Mr Lee said, "Established in 1973 and having served Hong Kong citizens for over half a century, the role of the HA has evolved from providing mere shelters to creating comfortable homes, making significant contributions to the wellbeing of Hong Kong citizens."
The Secretary for Housing and Chairman of the HA, Ms Winnie Ho, remarked, "In the next 50 years, we shall continue to forge ahead and join forces with our outstanding colleagues, partners, colleagues of various departments, our construction teams and contractors to create another glorious chapter of the HA."
The celebration ceremony premiered highlights of an eight-episode documentary series which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the HA. The series includes interviews with key figures who have driven and witnessed the progress of public housing, current and former HA members, and Housing Department staff, etc. It reflects on the past milestones and offers insights into the HA's ongoing work and resolve to improving the living standard of citizens. The documentary series will be broadcast on Radio Television Hong Kong Channel 31, starting from December 17 (Sunday), with each episode running for half an hour.
In addition, a commemorative publication entitled "From Shelter to Home: Striding across 50 Years of Public Housing" was unveiled during the ceremony. The publication features valuable memories and experiences shared by former HA chairmen, interesting stories from celebrities and HA staff who grew up in public housing estates, as well as precious historical photographs and some winning entries from the public housing photography contest. The public can access the online version of the publication on the HA's 50th anniversary website.
The unveiling of the commemorative publication was accompanied by the premiere of "Beautiful Home," a new song produced by, and at the initiative of, the Chairman of the Agency for Volunteer Service and HA member, Ms Melissa Kaye Pang, in collaboration with a singer-songwriter. The song aims to bring positive energy to the public and celebrate the special occasion of the HA's 50th anniversary.
The 50th anniversary ceremony took place at Domain, the HA's flagship shopping mall. Concurrently, the award presentation of the public housing photography contest and an exhibition showcasing the winning entries were held. The exhibition will run until January 19, 2024. The public are welcome to visit Domain and tour the exhibition free of charge. The exhibition will later appear at other housing estate shopping centres.
Various activities and events have been held as part of the 50th anniversary celebration that cater for people of different ages and interests. These include a logo design competition; presenting New Year's couplets to residents; a Blueprint x Footprint Treasure Hunt self-guided tour of housing estates; a public housing photography contest; a 3×3 basketball challenge; distributing lucky bags to elderly residents during the Mid-Autumn Festival; a forum titled "Evolution of Public Housing in Hong Kong – Dialogue with the New Generation", and roving exhibitions of winning entries of the photography contest. The public can visit the HA's 50th anniversary website to browse the related information.
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