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The Prize Presentation Ceremony of the fourth LUI Che Woo Prize – Prize for World Civilisation was held on 3 October in Hong Kong. The Nature Conservancy, Dr Jennifer A. Doudna and Ms Fan Jinshi were laureates of the Sustainability Prize, Welfare Betterment Prize and Positive Energy Prize respectively.

The ceremony was honoured by the presence of government officials and community leaders, including The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; The Hon Mr Tung Chee-hwa, Vice Chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Prof Tan Tieniu, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Huang Lanfa, Vice Chairman of Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Yang Yirui, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Dr Lui Che-woo, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Governors cum Prize Council of the LUI Che Woo Prize, as well as members of the Board of Governors of LUI Che Woo Prize Limited and of the Prize Council, Prize Recommendation Committee and Selection Panels of the LUI Che Woo Prize.

Dr Lui Che-woo deeply moved by the laureates as he calls for tolerance and understanding

 

“The LUI Che Woo Prize has been founded on the basis of my belief in ‘lasting serenity and shared harmony’,” said Dr Lui Che-woo, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Governors cum the Prize Council of the LUI Che Woo Prize. “I hope to encourage the pursuit of inner peace and harmony and the sharing of the world’s resources without regard to race or individual ego. I am deeply moved by the incessant efforts of our laureates to advance world civilisation, which are in perfect tandem with my vision for the Prize,” he remarked. Dr Lui expressed great admiration for the perseverance of the laureates: “Today, we are witnessing conflicts and disagreements between nations and between individuals, which can only be resolved if we adopt an accommodative approach and treat others with kindness. With a peaceful mind, tolerance and understanding, we can aspire to lasting peace and harmony.”

Chief Executive Carrie Lam commending contributions of laureates to progress world civilisation

 

The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Chief Executive, expressed delight at having taken part in this event for the third year in a row and seeing how splendidly the vision of Dr Lui is being realised as she congratulated this year’s laureates of the “LUI Che Woo Prize”. In particular, she noted that she had been deeply impressed by the selfless dedication of Ms Fan Jinshi, laureate of the “Positive Energy Prize”, whom she first met during a visit to the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in 2010. She shared that it was a privilege to join all the guests in celebrating the laureates, who with their purpose and passion serve a larger good.

Laureate of the “Sustainability Prize” – The Nature Conservancy 
Creating a sustainable world for a better tomorrow

Founded in the U.S. in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a non-profit-making global conservation organisation working to conserve the land and waters on which all life depends and create a world where people and nature can sustain and thrive. Guided by science, TNC employs a collaborative approach in driving transformation and change on a global scale, as it engages various groups and parties to tackle climate change, water supply, food shortage and other greatest environmental challenges. TNC has over 1 million members in a network spanning six continents, while leading conservancy work with the support of more than 400 scientists who set long-term as well as short-term goals. The structure of TNC has been strengthened by local and global partnerships as it seeks to influence global decision-makers with evidence-based and pragmatic solutions.

Oyster reef conservancy in Hong Kong is one of the many worldwide conservancy projects run by TNC. Decades of commercial dredging for lime, coastal reclamation and over-harvesting have decimated the oyster population, along with the long list of benefits for the marine ecology brought by oysters. In 2018, TNC started a pilot oyster restoration scheme in Deep Bay to assess the ecological benefits of oyster reefs and the development of local oyster breeding operations. In 2019, TNC established the first permanent Hong Kong Oyster Reefs Exhibit at Ap Tsai Hang in Pak Nai, in association with the government and other partners. The exhibit highlights the 700-year history of the Deep Bay community culture and scientific knowledge on oyster breeding and the many benefits brought by oysters. TNC also organises a variety of educational programmes to engage youngsters in Hong Kong, with a view to nurturing future leaders for the environmental cause.

 

“Conservation is the work of collaboration and nature is a uniting force,” Sally Jewell, Chief Executive Officer, The Nature Conservancy.

TNC’s vision is a world where people and nature thrive together. Sustainable development cannot be achieved, nor through solo efforts. Sally Jewell, Chief Executive Officer of The Nature Conservancy and Former-United States Secretary of the Interior remarked as she received the prize on behalf of TNC, “We know we cannot accomplish our mission alone. Non-profit organisations like The Nature Conservancy rely on the engagement of people like you － people who contribute their time, talents, or resources to help realise our shared vision for a brighter future.” To realise this vision, we need to work together to build an inclusive, sustainable and adaptable future for humanity and the Earth.

 

Pilot oyster reefs built by TNC in Lau Fau Shan, Deep Bay. ©Kyle Obermann

 

TNC NatureVest sources funding for the debt-restructuring exercise and environmental initiatives of Seychelles. ©Jason Houston

Laureate of the “Welfare Betterment Prize” – Dr Jennifer A. Doudna
Technology with a profound impact giving hope to millions

Dr Jennifer A. Doudna is an internationally renowned professor of chemistry and molecular and cell biology and the co-inventor of CRISPR-Cas9 – a revolutionary genome-editing technology recognised as one of the most profound discoveries in the world. CRISPR-Cas9 allows scientists to edit DNA, the “code of life”, in a precise manner at specific positions in the genome. With possible applications in clinical medicine, agriculture and biological research, this technology has created new possibilities for improving human welfare.

CRISPR-Cas9 is more efficient and accurate than any previous gene-editing technologies. It allows genetic materials in animal and plant cells to be added to, removed from or altered. Scientists are now exploring the application of this technology in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases, including single-gene disorders and mutations, such as cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease. Its application to edit immune cells for the treatment or prevention of cancer, heart disease and HIV can give hope to millions worldwide. In addition to medical applications, Dr Doudna believes that the agricultural sector could be the next major beneficiary as CRISPR-Cas9 can help engineer crops with climate change- resisting properties and higher nutritional values, offering vast possibilities in potential applications that would increase food supply for the world.

 

“CRISPR-Cas9 technology allows us to edit DNA and is now used by thousands of scientists around the world and has radically expanded what is possible in clinical medicine, agriculture and biological research,” Dr Jennifer A. Doudna.

 

Dr Doudna shared that CRISPR-Cas9 can help scientists to figure out what genes contribute to disease and even rewrite them to correct the mutations.

 

Dr Doudna (first from right) said that she has been inspired by young people to found Innovative Genomics Institute based on their positive attitude towards changing the world.

In her vote of thanks, Dr Doudna cited the opportunity to work with brave thinkers and risk-takers during her academic and professional pursuits as the driving force behind her research in CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing. “I am continually inspired by the students I teach and meet during my travels – young people who are keen to engage and help positively shape our world. In fact, these students were one of the motivations for starting the Innovative Genomics Institute,” she said. Dr Doudna has endeavoured to foster an open and accommodative academic environment, encouraging members of her cosmopolitan research team to freely express their views, constantly exploring new applications of the technology that would enable further contributions to the welfare of mankind.

 

The revolutionary gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 can add, remove and even alter genetic material in animal and plant cells.

 

 

 

Researchers around the world are studying the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to treat genetic diseases, and also to assist the agricultural industry in resisting climate change and improving the nutritional value of crops.

Laureate of the “Positive Energy Prize” – Ms Fan Jinshi
The only vocation: to preserve Dunhuang legacy

Affectionately known as the “Daughter of Dunhuang”, Ms Fan Jinshi, Honorary Director of the Dunhuang Academy, has dedicated her entire life to the preservation of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Mainland China. The positive energy underpinning her persistence against countless challenges in social, cultural and economic terms has been an inspiration for many. As one of the few female members of the archaeological community, Ms Fan not only has helped to preserve one of the world’s most important Buddhist shrines and cultural heritage with more than 1,000 years of history through her research and conservation efforts, but also generally enhanced the public awareness towards the Mogao Grottoes and their conservation.

The Dunhuang Grottoes I: Caves 266–275 of Mogao Grottoes, compiled under the chief-editorship of Ms Fan, has laid the foundation for the permanent preservation, research and application of the Grottoes. The late Prof Jao Tsung-i, acclaimed guru in Chinese studies, described Ms Fan’s work as “genuine and incredibly detailed and admirably taking Dunhuang studies to another level.” In the meantime, knowing that the Grottoes will eventually be subject to weathering and corrosion, Ms Fan has launched the “Dunhuang Digitalisation” project with the aid of modern digital technology to recapture the cave art of the Mogao Grottoes in digital form, in a comprehensive enhancement of the standards of cultural conservation and promotion. This initiative has enabled the world to grasp and appreciate the richness, magnanimity and resplendence of Dunhuang cave art beyond the constraints of time and space.

 

“Bringing Dunhuang culture closer to the people and showcasing it to the world, whilst also bringing the world closer to Dunhuang,” Ms Fan Jinshi.

 

In 1963 and at the age of 25, out of her passion for Dunhuang, Ms Fan travelled far and wide away from her home and settled in Dunhuang where the living conditions were tough with scarce supply of water and electricity. For 56 years, she has been living up to her life-long vocation of protecting and researching the Dunhuang culture on the back of positive views and values and practical actions, doing meticulous work on a daily basis and consistently exploring new leads with a persevering spirit in spite of challenges and setbacks. “For every generation, there is a special vocation and mission. My vocation and mission is to protect and study the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. It is a significant task calling for long-term effort, a noble and strenuous mission requiring and deserving nothing but life-long dedication,” Ms Fan remarked. The LUI Che Woo Prize is a great encouragement for Ms Fan and her team. It provides a driving force for Ms Fan and her colleagues to carry on the works of investigation and innovation in the “Mogao spirit” of commitment to the Great Desert, dedication, courage and progress inherited from our predecessors, and to seek ever greater contributions to the mission of protecting, researching and promoting the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes.

 

Ms Fan (first from left) working in the Dunhuang Academy (1964)

 

Mogao Grottoes preserve the most precious wall paintings in the world

Ongoing advancements and increasing international recognition for “LUI Che Woo Prize”

Since its inception, the “LUI Che Woo Prize” has garnered increasing recognition from local and international communities, thanks to consistent improvements made. In a move to broaden the scope of the prizes such that any individual or group making exceptional contributions to the world will have the opportunity to be recognised, no specific area of focus has been named for this year’s “LUI Che Woo Prize”. The Prize has also been honoured by the addition of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand to the Prize Council, making it an increasingly internationalised setup and further confirming the status of “LUI Che Woo Prize” as an international award for humanity work.

Positive energy through dance performance against physical disabilities

 

Joined by local dancers, the Lin Chinglan Deaf Dance Group of Taiwan gave a performance based on the fascinating story of Lin Chinglan, Founder cum Lead Dancer of the Group in the Prize Presentation Ceremony. Born with severe hearing impairment, Ms Lin did not give up on her dream as a lover of the art of dance because of her disability. Deaf to sounds, she learnt to feel with her feet the musical resonance passing through the floor and became a professional dancer against all odds. Later, she established first deaf dance group in Taiwan for audibly-impaired dancers to express themselves on the international stage. The story of Ms Lin and the performance of her dance group have touched upon all guests at the Prize Presentation Ceremony. Her unbending perseverance is a source of enormous positive energy inspiring others to pursue their dreams.

 

An inspiring dance performance by the Lin Chinglan Deaf Dance Group and local dancers.

About the “LUI Che Woo Prize”

 

Charged with the mission of promoting benevolence and peace, Dr Lui founded the “LUI Che Woo Prize – Prize for World Civilisation” in 2015, an annual cross-disciplinary international award aimed at driving progress in world civilisation and encouraging the building of a harmonious world. Laureates could be any individual or organisation showcasing remarkable achievements in enriching world civilisation.

 

Dr Moses Cheng Mo-chi, Member of the Board of Governors of LUI Che Woo Prize Limited, commented “What the ‘LUI Che Woo Prize’ promotes is an intangible value. There are a lot of international prizes which reward technological achievements, but the ‘LUI Che Woo Prize’ seeks to encourage technological applications for the betterment of the welfare of mankind and the world in general.”

 

Prof Lawrence J. Lau, Chairman of the Prize Recommendation Committee, commented “The ‘LUI Che Woo Prize’ is aimed at promoting world civilisation, not just academic research. We look for achievements that bring practical benefits to the mankind and laureates who inspire and impart proper values to the community.”