Hong Kong Legal Week 2023, an annual flagship event of the legal sector and the Department of Justice (DoJ), successfully concluded today (November 10). Prominent legal and dispute resolution experts and academics from around the world were gathered at the Legal Week's series of events to conduct in-depth discussions on a wide range of important topics, including international legal co-operation, mediation, arbitration, and opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative. Themed "Onward & Forward: Connecting the World", in its five days of events Hong Kong Legal Week 2023 attracted over 11 000 participants in person and online, including representatives from the legal, maritime, aviation, arts, intellectual property and finance sectors, as well as educators, teachers, students and representatives from youth organisations from more than 50 jurisdictions. It demonstrated that Hong Kong's strong global connections, and the city's unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the "one country, two systems" principle, have been fully leveraged.

     The Rule of Law for the Future was held today as the finale of Hong Kong Legal Week 2023. The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Liu Guangyuan; and the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, gave their remarks at the opening session. The keynote speech was delivered by the Chief Judge of the High Court, Mr Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor.
 
     It was followed by two panel discussions under the main theme of "Rule of Law: A Core Pillar of Support for the '8 Centres' under the National 14th Five-Year Plan". Renowned legal professionals and academics discussed the essential role of Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services in supporting the development of the maritime and aviation industry in Hong Kong, and explained the interplay between art and law in areas such as intellectual property protection and trading, and copyright issues in developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

     In the afternoon, students were engaged in an open exchange with a Legislative Council member, a school principal and a teacher to share their experiences, anecdotes and their vision on the rule of law topics.

     It was the first time a special session, "National Security Chatroom: You ask, I answer", was hosted during the Legal Week for the Secretary for Justice to answer questions and clarify misunderstandings about the Hong Kong National Security Law through daily examples and down-to-earth explanations.

     The Rule of Law for the Future and Hong Kong Legal Week 2023 were concluded by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan. The DoJ, dedicated to reinforcing the public awareness of the rule of law, will continue to organise a variety of relevant events, and has been actively preparing for the launch of the first phase of the Rule of Law Education Train-the-Leaders Programme. The Department will also proactively engage with places in the region and beyond to promote Hong Kong's competitiveness as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia‑Pacific region under the National 14th Five‑Year Plan, so as to tell the good stories of Hong Kong's rule of law and further consolidate the city's solid foundation of the rule of law, and contribute to the construction of the rule of law of the country.

      

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) delegation to attend the 3rd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Health Cooperation Conference in Nansha, Guangzhou, today (November 10).

     Co-organised by the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, the Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the Health Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the People's Government of Guangzhou Municipality, the Conference aims to promote exchanges and co-operation in the healthcare area in the GBA.

     Professor Lo said, "Under the theme of 'Exceptional Beginning, Strategic Planning and High Quality', participants of the three places discussed important issues including healthcare innovation development and service quality improvement at the Conference. The HKSAR Government will continue to foster co-operation with other cities in the GBA and achieve mutual benefits under the principles of 'complementarity and mutual benefits' and on the premise of benefitting the healthcare development of Hong Kong and these cities."

     Professor Lo will continue to attend the Conference tomorrow morning (November 11) and conduct in-depth exchanges on the key issues outlined in the "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address", such as developing Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub and further strengthening cross-boundary medical collaboration.

     Members of the Hong Kong delegation include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Sam Hui; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko.

     Professor Lo will visit the Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone tomorrow afternoon. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, will be the Acting Secretary for Health.

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital gave the following update today (November 10):

     Following a contact tracing investigation, one more male patient aged 57 in the surgical ward was also identified as a carrier of Candida auris while not having signs of infection. He is in stable condition and is now being treated in isolation.

     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patient in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.

     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patient. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital gave the following update today (November 10):

     Following a contact tracing investigation, one more male patient aged 57 in the surgical ward was also identified as a carrier of Candida auris while not having signs of infection. He is in stable condition and is now being treated in isolation.

     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patient in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.

     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patient. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     Choral artist Patrick Chiu is partnering with choreographer Ivanhoe Lam to present "Bach im Theater: St. John Passion", a production fusing baroque music with contemporary theatre. The two artists audaciously adjust Bach's voice types and dramatic figures, where choristers and soloists engage in movements and actions, bestowing the crucifixion story and Bach's choral masterpiece with an entirely new character.

     "Bach im Theater: St. John Passion", one of the programmes of the New Vision Arts Festival (NVAF), will be staged on November 18 and 19 at the Kwai Tsing Theatre Auditorium. The programme received rave reviews last year when it was previewed in Bach's home country of Germany.

     Bach is one of the most iconic musicians in Western music history. He never wrote an opera, but much of his music is no less dramatic than any opera. His "St. John Passion" is a good example.

     The programme recasts Bach's masterpiece in a contemporary approach. Performers from Hong Kong, Germany, Japan and the United States, hailing from a variety of backgrounds, will dress in everyday clothes and play the roles of Jesus Christ, disciple Peter, Roman governor Pilate and Jewish people in the biblical story. In musical treatment, movement and staging, this production peels off layers of history, catapulting Jesus Christ and Bach into the 21st century, taking theatre audiences on a journey of the soul.

     In the role of Jesus, Reginald Mobley is one of today's hottest countertenors, having been invited to perform at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III of the United Kingdom and the BBC Proms this year.

     "Bach im Theater: St. John Passion" will be held at 8pm on November 18 (Saturday), and at 3pm on November 19 (Sunday) at the Kwai Tsing Theatre Auditorium. Tickets priced at $160, $200, $280 and $360 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app "URBTIX". Various discount schemes, including the newly introduced weekend package booking discount, are being offered.

     "Bach im Theater: St. John Passion" is performed in German with Chinese and English surtitles. A meet-the-artist session will be held after the performance on November 18 at the Auditorium.

     Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the NVAF is running from October 20 to November 19, showcasing an array of interdisciplinary programmes by overseas and local performing groups and artists. For programme enquiries, please call 2370 1044 or visit www.nvaf.gov.hk.