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The Group's philanthropic arm pledges to continue "connecting the dots" - driving inspirational projects that will have a lasting, positive impact on the Hong Kong community.
Swire hailed the work of its pioneering TrustTomorrow initiative today at a special celebration titled "Connecting for a Brighter Tomorrow". The event, held at ArtisTree in Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay, was well-attended by guests from the government, the philanthropic sector and the NGO community.
TrustTomorrow was launched by Swire in 2020, via the Swire Group Charitable Trust (Swire Trust), to mark the Group's milestone 150th anniversary of doing business in Hong Kong. The initiative, with an additional HK$150 million to super-charge the Group's philanthropic activities, has focused on supporting projects that benefit the areas of Education, Marine Conservation, and the Arts. TrustTomorrow has also helped the most disadvantaged in society and supported vulnerable groups during the pandemic. Since its launch, the initiative has funded over 70 projects via more than 100 NGOs, and served over two million beneficiaries.
Guy Bradley, Chairman of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited, said: "Swire has long been a part of Hong Kong's story, and we are committed to helping the community flourish in the future. It is very rewarding to see how our funding, as well as the efforts of volunteers from across Swire's businesses, have empowered our NGO and community partners to address societal challenges. Swire is a dedicated, long-term investor and corporate citizen, and we pledge to continue giving back to Hong Kong, which has been our home for more than 150 years."
Chris Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare for the Hong Kong SAR Government, said, "The Government has all along been supporting and encouraging such charitable and philanthropic activities, and is committed to building a fair, inclusive and sustainable society. I encourage people from all walks of life to actively participate in charitable and philanthropic activities, and to utilise their influence and creativity to contribute their wisdom and strength to the community. The Government is making preparations at full steam for the Pilot Programme on Community Living Room, funded by the Community Care Fund, to provide focused assistance to households living in sub-divided units, especially those with children. The programme aims to enhance their standard of living and strengthen their sense of belonging to the community."
Patrick Healy, Chair of the Philanthropy Council, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited, said: "TrustTomorrow's vision has been to ‘connect the dots' between NGO and community partners, beneficiaries, Swire companies and Swire staff volunteers who want to give back to their community. Today's event is not just a chance to say thank you. It also begins the next chapter in the journey as we build on the outstanding work of our NGO partners, sustaining and amplifying the impact of TrustTomorrow long into the future."
The event included performances and panel discussions where speakers discussed experiences and learnings from success cases. These were followed by a specially-curated networking session where guests from the philanthropic and NGO sectors could meet each other and identify likeminded potential partners for future collaboration on worthwhile projects.
During October and November, a variety of TrustTomorrow-themed events across Hong Kong held by Swire Trust's NGO partners will be open to the public. These include volunteering opportunities, a free family fun day at Hong Kong Maritime Museum's Swire Marine Discovery Centre and various experiential workshops. On 11th November, a free community funfair will be held at Quarryside, the new community space in Quarry Bay, offering a range of educational games, wellness and handicraft workshops, and musical performances.
Following on from the work of TrustTomorrow, Swire Trust will continue funding and connecting NGO and community partners with capabilities and resources from across the Swire Group, making a positive impact on Education, Marine Conservation and the Arts in Hong Kong.
Click here to watch the TrustTomorrow highlight video.
About the Swire Group Charitable Trust
Established in 1983, the Swire Group Charitable Trust (Swire Trust) is a Hong Kong charity registered under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. Its aim is to effect positive change in the areas of Education, Marine Conservation, and the Arts by supporting registered non-profit organisations, primarily in Hong Kong. Swire Trust is overseen by the Philanthropy Council, which is chaired by a member of Swire senior management.
About 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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Guy Bradley, Chairman of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited (right), is joined by Chris Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR (middle), and Tina Chan, Group Head of Philanthropy, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited (left) at the TrustTomorrow "Connecting for a Brighter Tomorrow" celebratory event.
Guy Bradley, Chairman of John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited (second from right), is joined by Chris Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR (middle), Dr Tik Chi-yuen, Legislative Council Member (second from left), Tina Chan, Group Head of Philanthropy, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited (far left), and Patrick Healy, Chairman of the Philanthropy Council, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Limited (far right) at the TrustTomorrow "Connecting for a Brighter Tomorrow" celebratory event.
Guests from the government, the philanthropic sector and the NGO community attend the "Connecting for a Brighter Tomorrow" celebratory event and share their thoughts and experiences, reflecting TrustTomorrow's vision of "Connecting for a Brighter Tomorrow".
At the event's panel discussion, representatives from Swire Trust and Time Auction discuss how they successfully solved a common problem for NGOs: accessing professional skills and services. Time Auction has connected over 720 NGOs to more than 17,500 skilled volunteers, and has completed more than 2,800 projects. This has been made possible via a TrustTomorrow-funded online matching platform. With only one full-time employee, the founder of the NGO Books & Beyond Reading Club, explains how they successfully expanded their services thanks to the platform.
A panel discussion features the "Building Community, Building Tung Chung" project, a cross-NGO, collaborative partnership between TrustTomorrow, the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and four local NGOs, including H.K.S.K.H. Tung Chung Integrated Services (SKH), InspiringHK Sports Foundation, Playright Children's Play Association and The Zubin Foundation. The project covers sports, play, career and social inclusion activities for Tung Chung families. With this holistic, cross-sector approach, the project has benefited over 17,000 people.
Funded by TrustTomorrow, The Orchestra Academy Hong Kong is the first programme jointly directed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and the School of Music of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA). It aims to enhance professional performance training for HKAPA music graduates, facilitating their career development in the orchestral field. In return, these young musicians contribute to the community and promote marine conservation by volunteering their time and talents.
Through beautiful visual imagery and captivating music, a multimedia performance by National Geographic aims to raise awareness about our precious marine ecosystem and the actions we must take to preserve it for future generations.