HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 30 July 2023 - Every 13^th day of the 6^th month of the lunar calendar, the construction industry holds a worship ceremony to pray for the prosperity and development of their respective trades.

"Young Lo Pan Award Ceremony 2023," organized by the Hong Kong Lo Pan Kwong Yuet Tong, co-organized by the Vocational Training Council, Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union, and the Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers, supported by Construction Industry Council was held on 30^th of July (Sunday) at the Lo Pan Temple at Ching Lin Terrance, Kennedy Town. A total of 42 young elites were awarded this year, hoping to recognize the outstanding contributions, pursuit of excellence, and innovative spirit of young practitioners in the industry, more new talents would be attracted to participate in them.

"Young Lo Pan Award Ceremony 2023" was held successfully today. It was a privilege to have Ms Linn Hon-ho, JP, Secretary for Development, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as the Guest of Honour, along with Ms Yu Po-mei, JP, Director of Buildings, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Chang Chi-ho, Commissioner for Heritage, Commissioner for Heritage's Office, Mr Leung Chee-kay, JP, District Officer, Central And Western District Office, Mr Tang Chi Wang, Chairman of Hong Kong Lo Pan Kwong Yuet Tong, representatives of co-organizers, sponsors and members of the organizing committee who also attended the ceremony.

Ms Linn Hon-ho, JP, Secretary for Development, stated in the ceremony that "The significance of the Young Lo Pan Award is immense, as it recognizes and bears witness to the efforts of young people and is also a form of inheritance. Currently, the construction industry is experiencing a golden period of development, with projects like the Northern Metropolis, Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands, and various large-scale infrastructure initiatives. These projects present incredible opportunities for young people who are committed to the construction industry.'

Mr Tang Chi-wang, Chairman of Hong Kong Lo Pan Kwong Yuet Tong, expressed that "We organize the 'Young Lo Pan Award to promote the spirit of Lo Pan, which includes two aspects: technical and moral. The former emphasizes continuous improvement and innovation, while morality is necessary to respect the teachers and the rules and standards. The importance of the construction industry to Hong Kong's development is unquestionable. With the sustainable development of various infrastructure projects, the demand for talent in the construction industry will continue to rise, and the future is bright. I would like to encourage young people to seize the golden chance in the next decade, seriously consider joining construction industry as our family members."

Cr Li Kwok-woon, Chairman of "The Young Lo Pan Award 2023" Organizing Committee, said, "I am honored to have everyone here to celebrate the 139^th anniversary of the foundation laying of the Lo Pan Temple and to award the winners of the 'Young Lo Pan 2023' in various categories, to recognize young practitioners in the industry who have outstanding performance and ambition and to encourage future pillars with great potential to join and contribute to the construction industry. As the Chairman of the organizing committee for this award, I would like to thank all the committee members for their efforts, which made this event a success."

The "Young Lo Pan Award 2023" aims to encourage and recognize young people with outstanding performance in architecture, engineering, technology, etc., and to provide them with a platform to showcase their talents and abilities. Miss Lee Ho-yan won the "Outstanding Young Lo Pan Award," breaking the traditional image of male-dominated construction sites and proving that women can also have a place in the architecture industry based on their strength. In addition, Mr Chan Wa-keung and Mr Leung Sai-hon won the Construction Award and the Construction Manager Award respectively. At the same time, Mr Wong Man-him was awarded the Safety, Health, Environment & Quality Award.

The organizer also held the "Junior Lo Pan Innovation Award," aims to inspire secondary school students' interest in architecture and cultivate their innovative thinking. Through participating in the competition, students can learn about and understand the "spirit of craftsmanship." It is hoped that they will join the industry and create unlimited possibilities for Hong Kong. The winner of this award was Miss Chen Yi-xing with the project "Sustainable Development of Lantau Tomorrow Vision."

In addition, the Lo Pan Temple, listed as a "Grade 1 Historical Building", has a history of nearly 140 years. Fortunately, with the support and approval of the government departments, it will soon undergo renovation. At the same time, Master He Zhan-quan, a traditional building craftsman (Ceramics) from Guangdong Province, was invited to Hong Kong to provide professional guidance for the renovation work of the Lo Pan Temple. It is hoped that the Lo Pan Temple can be "reborned".

Mr Tang Chi-wang said, "After repairing the Lo Pan Temple, we plan to set up an exhibition hall next to the public office to introduce Lo Pan's life and contributions. It will also display traditional tools with great historical value for the public. At the same time, we are going to hold regularly organize guided tours and workshops to promote Lo Pan's 'Spirit of Craftsmanship' and to Inherit the valuable architectural history and culture."