On January 3, 2013, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) jointly announced the launch of the CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia (Gaia), as the first celebratory event for the 50th anniversary of CUHK, to promote environmental conservation and sustainability in local communities, through public education and carbon reduction partnerships with schools and non-governmental organizations.
Mr WONG Kam Sing, Secretary for the Environment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government; Dr Rita FAN HSU Lai Tai, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Professor Joseph J Y SUNG, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK; Professor QU Geping, Former Minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration of the People's Republic of China; Professor HAO Jiming, Director of the Institute of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University (representing Professor CHEN Jining, President of Tsinghua University); and Professor WANG Jinnan, Chairman of the Professional Association for China's Environment and Vice President of Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, officiated at the ceremony.
CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia is a 5-year community engagement programme organized by CUHK with a generous donation of HK$54 million from the HKJC Charities Trust. Professor Sung said, 'The Chinese University is most grateful for the generous donation by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust to this meaningful cause. Climatic change is not a remote issue. Every one of us living in Hong Kong should "Think Global. Act Local". Combining the innovative research in environment, energy and sustainability by CUHK experts and the Trust's various endeavours to protect the environment, I believe we can make a difference for the future of Hong Kong.
Dr Fan said the University was well qualified to undertake the programme, having already developed successful research and education programmes in environmental protection. As part of the Environment Project, the CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia will disseminate those research results and green knowledge to the public through different channels, helping to enhance the city's sustainability in line with the government's policy. She noted that the Club for many years not only advocated green corporate policies but also implemented many green measures in its daily operations and encouraged its 20,000 staff members to adopt environmentally-friendly practices.
More details of the CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia can be found at www.cuhk.edu.hk/gaia.
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