Media

International Conference to Explore the Olympics and Asian Sports with Perspectives from Beijing

15 Mar 2008

 

An International Conference entitled "Olympics in East Asia: Nationalism, Regionalism and Globalism on the Centre Stage of World Sports" is held today (March 15, 2008) at the University of Hong Kong.

19 world renowned scholars and professionals spoke on the impact of the Olympic Games on China and other East Asian countries such as Japan and Korea, and on what these countries have brought to the Olympian vision. An East Asian focus offers a timely perspective on the Beijing Olympic Games in August.

At a welcoming dinner for 150 guests yesterday (March 14, 2008) at the Island Shangri-la Hotel, Mr. Henry Tang, the Chief Secretary for Administration, delivered introductory remarks on the role of Hong Kong in the Beijing Olympics. Professor William Kelly of Yale University, a world authority on Japanese baseball and Asian sports, gave a summary of the themes of the conference. Professor Susan Brownell from the University of Missouri at St. Louis, has long engaged with the Olympic movement. Author of several books on sports and Olympics, she spends the year as a Fulbright Scholar at the Beijing Sport University, researching on Olympic Education in schools, volunteer training and media coverage of the Games.

Mainland professionals also joined the conference to give their latest observations on what is being unveiled in Beijing. Mr. Yu Bu, Deputy Head of Broadcasting Coordination, Media Operations of the Beijing Organizing Committee for Games of XXIX Olympiad reported on the final preparation work of the Beijing authority. Dong Qian, CCTV anchor for international evening news, commented on the media scene.

The conference is jointly presented by the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (HKIHSS), The University of Hong Kong, and the Council on East Asian Studies, Yale University. A follow-up session of the conference will be held at the Yale University in October 2008 to capture reflections after the Beijing Games.

For event photos and media enquiries, please contact Ms. Emily Ip of the HKIHSS (Tel: 2241-5008) or Ms Cherry Cheung of HKU External Relations Office (Tel: 2859-2606 / 8208-1686 Email: cherry.cheung@hku.hk).