Scientists from throughout the world, including the West Country, gathered in Hong Kong for the first ever week-long forum organised by the Council of the Hong Kong Laureate Forum and sponsored by the Lee Shuu Kee Foundation three plenary sessions, six breakout sessions, two trending topic discussions, two science seminars and over 20 sessions of visits and cultural events.

Themed “Meeting of Inspirational Minds”, the Forum attracted over 2,400 participants. Besides over 20 Shaw Laureates and around 200 young scientists, there were over 200 guests and local scientists from different sectors and institutions, 46 Forum ambassadors and over 1500 secondary students and members of the public. Live streaming was also available for some Forum programmes to reach out to a wider audience in Hong Kong and beyond.

The week-long programmes covered diverse topics, from Astronomy’s gravitational waves, black holes, space telescopes, Mathematical Sciences’ moduli spaces, geometry, fractals, to Life Science and Medicine’s genome, cells, optogenetics etc. With the poster presentation and flash presentation led by young scientists, the Forum encouraged over 40 young scientists to present their current research projects and received feedbacks from the Shaw Laureates.

In delivering his speech at the closing ceremony, Prof Timothy W Tong, BBS, JP, the Chairman of the HKLF said, “The Forum’s mixed of captivating presentations, intense discussions and dynamic dialogues would no doubt be cherished by all participants. So, a big thank you to our Shaw Laureates, renowned scientists and young scientists who had taken part in panel discussions, given talks, made poster presentations, etc. Without their active participation, the event would not have been a success.”

Dr Martin Lee Ka-shing, GBS, JP, Chairman of Henderson Land Group and Director of the Lee Shau Kee Foundation said, “Over the past week, I have been delighted to see the active and enthusiastic exchanges between the Shaw laureates and young scientists participating in the forum. It is remarkable to see the sparks of innovation ignited from these interactions, which I believe will significantly propel scientific development both in Hong Kong and around the globe. While the Forum has now reached its conclusion, this is not an end but rather the commencement of a new chapter. I hope that the young scientists will carry forward the inspiration and knowledge gained from this experience, continually challenging themselves to innovate and contribute to a sustainable future. Meanwhile, the Lee Shau Kee Foundation and Henderson Land will remain steadfast in nurturing young talent, in hopes of bringing a boost of vibrant energy to society.”

Throughout the previous week, the Forum offered an unparalleled platform, providing opportunity for scientists from around the world for cross-generational, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary exchanges and sparked scientific collaborations. Participants were able to share, exchange the latest breakthroughs and explore the infinite possibilities of science and technology. With its tremendous success, the inaugural Forum had also strengthened Hong Kong’s position as a world-class collaboration hub for inspirational minds. The HKLF hopes that the success of the inaugural Forum will continue to fulfil its mission, that is to facilitate networking among young scientists from different parts of the world and foster the exchanges among scientists of different generations, cultures and disciplines.