Swire sponsors third Belt and Road concert, Supporting cultural exchange and Hong Kong’s role as an international arts hub

The Swire Group (“Swire”) in its capacity as Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (“HK Phil”) today sponsored the “Belt and Road: Zitong Wang Plays Chopin” concert, performed at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre by the HK Phil. This year’s concert was supported by the Belt and Road Office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau.

The concert was officiated by Mr Algernon Yau, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR. Other guests included Mr Qin Hong, Counselor, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR, and Mr Nicholas Ho, Commissioner for Belt and Road of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government. Consuls-general from Belt and Road countries and other distinguished guests also attended.

The Belt and Road concert brings together outstanding musicians and masterpieces in celebration of cultural exchange and mutual understanding. This year’s concert featured pianist Zitong Wang, third prize winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition, and Yuan Ding, Principal Conductor and Art Committee member of the China National Opera House.

The concert opened with Tchaikovsky’s patriotic Marche Slave, followed by Yao Chen’s Garden: Unearthing the Way Home. It continued with Chopin’s Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise brillante, a work that combines poetic lyricism with dazzling virtuosity, and concluded with Rachmaninov’s First Symphony.

Mr Algernon Yau, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, said: “Hong Kong continues to thrive as an active participant and an important platform for advancing the Belt and Road Initiative. As an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, the Government is firmly committed to nurturing a vibrant environment that encourages mutual understanding and shared artistic discovery. This concert brings this vision to life, connecting people and cultures through the universal language of music.”

Augustus Tang, Director, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited, said: “Our support for the HK Phil reflects Swire’s long-standing belief in the power of music to enrich our city and bring communities together. As the HK Phil’s Principal Patron, we are proud to support its artistic excellence, and its contribution to Hong Kong as an international arts and cultural hub. We are especially pleased to collaborate with the HK Phil and the Belt and Road Office on this concert, reflecting our belief that commerce connects people and places, while the arts deepen understanding across cultures.”

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Please click here to download the photos:

(From left)
• May Lam, Director, Group Public Affairs, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited
• Nicholas Ho, Commissioner for Belt and Road of the Commerce and Economic Development  Bureau of the HKSAR Government
• Augustus Tang, Director, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited
• Algernon Yau, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR
• Qin Hong, Counselor, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR
• Bernhard Fleischer, Chief Executive, The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
• James Tong, Senior Advisor, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited

 

Government officials, consuls-general from Belt and Road countries, distinguished guests, representatives from Swire and the HK Phil attend the “Belt and Road: Zitong Wang Plays Chopin” concert.

 

About the Swire Group

The Swire Group is a highly diversified global corporation, with businesses encompassing property, beverages and food chain, aviation, marine, as well as trading and industrial activities. Its core businesses are mainly focused on Asia, with its key operations in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Within Asia, Swire's activities primarily come under the Group's publicly quoted arm, Swire Pacific Limited (HKSE: 00019/00087), which is the largest shareholder in two Hong Kong listed companies: Swire Properties and Cathay Pacific Airways.
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