The 70th Anniversary Celebration Banquet of Chung Chi College
The 70th Anniversary Celebration Banquet of Chung Chi College was held on 30 October 2022 at the Grand Ballroom, Rosewood Hong Kong. Hundreds of staff members, students, trustees, alumni, and friends of the College celebrated Chung Chi’s Platinum Jubilee at the banquet.
The officiating guests and all attendees joined the toasting ceremony.
Dr. Chan Tak Lam Norman, Chairman of the College Board of Trustees (upper photo); Professor Chai Yat Chiu John, Council Chairman, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (lower photo).
Amicable and Joyful Atmosphere
A variety of Chung Chi landmarks and two sets of photo booths were set up at the reception, foyer, and lawn of Grand Ballroom, Rosewood Hong Kong, where the participants could take pictures or chat with alumni and friends before the dinner. The foyer was also decorated with exhibition panels to illustrate the College’s motto, mission, and visions, as well as the College history and development in the last seven decades.
Celebrate Hand in Hand
The banquet commenced with the College anthem. The Masters of Ceremony Ms. Hui Ying (2008/Journalism) and Mr. Yuen Siu Fung Davy (1998/BBA) first invited Dr. Chan Tak Lam Norman (1976/Sociology), Chairman of the College Board of Trustees to give a welcome speech. Dr. Chan deeply appreciated Chung Chi members who have made joint efforts with dedication and perseverance over the past 70 years, with the spirit of the College’s motto “Ad Excellentiam”, and finally achieved abundant accomplishments. Professor Chai Yat Chiu John, Council Chairman, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), then made an address to the guests. Professor Chai praised the College’s contribution to educating and nurturing the young with the University over the years, while this close collaboration truly demonstrated the uniqueness and preciousness of the Collegiate System of CUHK. He encouraged Chung Chi members to continue to uphold the core values of the College and CUHK and pursue excellence.
The College Head Professor Fong Wing Ping thanked the trustees, alumni, and staff members who laid the foundation and fostered the College development. Just inaugurated in late October 2022, the new Chung Chi Student Development Complex is ready to provide extra indoor activity and learning space for our students, favouring their needs and the College development. The next speaker Professor Cheung Yuet Wah (1975/Sociology), Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 70th Anniversary Celebration Banquet, said the pandemic has brought a lot of challenges to all of us. He thanked the committee members as well as all the supporting parties for their months of endeavours, which have made the event a remarkable success. Though the scale of the banquet was smaller due to the epidemic control measure, the internet connected us and enabled overseas and Mainland alumni to gather and watch the live broadcast of the banquet through Webinar.
Professor Fong Wing Ping, Head of College (upper photo); and Professor Cheung Yuet Wah (1975/Sociology), Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 70th Anniversary Celebration Banquet (lower photo)gave speeches at the anniversary banquet.
After the speeches, there came a toasting and cake-cutting ceremony. It was officiated by Dr. Norman Chan; Professor John Chat; former Chairmen of the College Board of Trustees, namely Dr. Kwok Chi Leung Karl, and Mr. Aubrey Li; Professor Fong Wing Ping; former College Heads, namely Professor Lee Pui Leung Rance, Professor Leung Yuen Sang, and Professor Chan Wai Kwong Victor; Professor Fung Tung, Chairman of the 70th Anniversary Celebration Organising Committee; Professor Cheung Yuet Wah; and Ms. Lau Yin Hing Connie, Vice-chairperson of the Organising Committee of the 70th Anniversary Celebration Banquet.
A heartwarming theme video named “Chung Chi Heart, Chung Chi Affection” was played to review the history and development of the College. Dr. Norman Chan then introduced our latest campus development project “Chung Chi Creativity Building” to the guests during the session of “Chung Chi-ers, Chung Chi Dream, Chung Chi Vision.”
To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Chung Chi and support the new campus development project, Dr. Norman Chan, and three College Trustees, namely Mrs. Tsang Chan Kwai Mui Carol (1980/Social Work), Mr. Wong Kim Man (1980/Accounting), and Mr. David Chien pledged their support by presenting four donation cheques for HK$700,000 each to the College. Mr. Chan Chun Wing Terence, Treasurer of the College Board of Trustees, and Professor Fong Wing Ping received the cheques on behalf of the College on stage. Then Dr. Karl Kwok; Mr. Aubrey Li; Mr. Chan Cho Biu Eric, Convener of the Campus Facilities Subcommittee; Mr. Cheng Man Shan Ricky, Convener of the Fundraising Subcommittee; and Mr. Ling Kar Kan, Deputy Convener of the Campus Facilities Subcommittee, were invited to officiate and kick off the fundraising campaign of the project with other guests on stage. The fundraising target of this new project is HK$430 million.
Group photo of the officiating guests
The fundraising launching ceremony for Chung Chi Creativity Building was officiated.
Chung Chi College Alumni Association and Two Moons, the first local Gin Distillery, introduced “CC70th Anniversary Gin”. The bottle with serial no. 001 was presented to the College.
Besides, Chung Chi College Alumni Association (CCCAA) has collaborated with Two Moons Distillery, the first Gin distillery in Hong Kong founded by two alumni, namely Mr. Yuen Howe (2010/BBA) and Mr. Cheung Hiu Ming (2012/Hotel and Tourism Management), to launch the “CC70th Anniversary Gin” at the banquet. Mr. Liu Kin Wa Kinson (2004/Economics), Chairman of CCCAA introduced that the bottle label was featured by a painting of Chung Chi Gate by the renowned artist Dr. Kan Kit Keung (1966/Physics). Among some 300 bottles of the Anniversary Gin, 70 are limited editions with unique NFTs on labels, which are special and collectible. On behalf of CCCAA, Kinson presented the bottle with serial no. 001 to the College.
Overseas and Mainland alumni interacted with the guests at the banquet and delivered greetings to the College.
Celebration beyond Physical Boundaries
On the other hand, a remarkable Zoom session with overseas and Mainland alumni was launched at the banquet for the first time as well. Eleven alumni including Dr. Kan Kit Keung and Mrs. Kan Kam Yuen Han (1966/Physics) from the State of Maryland, United States; Mr. Cheung Shu Wing Alfred (1973/Sociology) from Tokyo, Japan; Mr. Chiu See Hung Richard (1974/BBA) from New York, the United States; Mr. So Hung Raymond (1979/Sociology) from Shanghai; Mr. Tang Hok Hoi Bosco (1983/Social Work) and Ms. Tong Bik Kwan Bobo (1982/Social Work) from Toronto, Canada; Mr. Chan Siu Wa Warren (1984/Marketing) from Vancouver, Canada; Mr. Chu Ho Cheung Dominic (1994/Computer Science) from Singapore; Mr. Tam Kar Hung Antony (2006/Journalism) from Kabul, Afghanistan; and Mr. Tang Ling Hei Edward (2021/History) from Oxford, the United Kingdom were invited to chat with the participants and deliver anniversary greetings to the College.
The guests enjoyed not only the delicious food and fine wine but also meeting and hanging with friends, while the atmosphere was warm and relaxing. To capture the unforgettable moments, graduates from the 1950s to the 2020s were invited to take group photos in the foyer. The finale of the event was a lucky draw with three grand prizes of gold accessories which were drawn and presented by Mr. Tang Ping Keung (1987/Social Work), Secretary for Security. The banquet came to a perfect ending with this final session. Guests enjoyed the banquet and looked forward to reunion again at Chung Chi’s 75th Anniversary Celebration Banquet.
Mr. Tang Ping Keung, Secretary for Security, presented the grand prize in the lucky draw session.
