For the first time since its launch in 2002, the Mark Six lottery has topped HK$10 million with a jackpot prize. The HK$10 million mark was reached during a special draw, which marked the 40th anniversary of the handover from Britain to China. The lottery is run by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and provides hope to countless Hongkongers. It also contributes to society through lottery duty and the Lotteries Fund, which is managed by the government.

In the same vein, the 19th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards are currently open for nominations, honouring veteran arts practitioners and up-and-coming artists who have made significant contributions to the city’s vibrant art scene. The awards scheme also lauds organisations and individuals who support arts education and promote awareness of local arts events.

A total of five scholars at Hong Kong universities have won the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Prize 2024, each pocketing a cheque for HK$2 million. The award winners, who were honoured at a news conference on Monday, hailed Hong Kong’s unique research environment and said their work had great potential for commercialization and industrial application. They worked on such areas as artificial intelligence and robotics, life and health, new materials and energy and advanced manufacturing.

The prize winner of the life and science category, Ng Siew Chien, is renowned for her work in developing noninvasive testing methods to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal diseases and autism spectrum disorders. She was the first female winner since the prize was established in 2022. Meanwhile, awardees Zhang Hua and Chen Shih-chi are acclaimed for their research on phase engineering of nanomaterials and 3D micro- and nanofabrication technologies respectively.

Lastly, the awardee of the natural sciences category, Chai Yang, has made groundbreaking discoveries on the kinetics of organic molecules in water and in the development of new antimicrobial drugs. Moreover, she is an expert in the chemistry of cyanobacteria and the development of genetic engineering.

The journey of hk prize from its inception to the present day reflects not only the evolution of a popular lottery game but the dynamic growth of Hong Kong as a society. From its humble beginnings as a weekly lottery drawn by hand to today’s digital lottery accessible worldwide, the prize has provided a platform for many people to dream big and achieve their goals. In the future, it will continue to inspire Hongkongers to take up challenges and strive for excellence. And in the process, it will make Hong Kong even more prosperous and successful.