This year the Foreign Correspondents’ Club Charity Ball marks its lucky 8th anniversary. Last year’s ball was
held on the same weekend that Lehman Brothers collapsed – an event taken by many as the official start of
the global financial crisis – and the ensuing economic decline has been one of the steepest in Hong Kong’s
recent history.
Despite this difficult climate, our sponsors have been steadfast in their support for this great event. Ticket
sales for the 2009 ball too have been strong and we look forward to a bumper charity auction.
The depth of support the ball enjoys is a reflection of the fine work done by the Po Leung Kuk, its network of
schools across Hong Kong and the Language Training Programme. This event’s backers also recognise that
while for most of us hard times come and go with the economic cycle, for the student beneficiaries of this
event times have always been hard.
The obstacles they have overcome to win places at local universities are a reminder of how lucky the rest
of us are, even in trying economic conditions. I cannot think of a more deserving group of young men and
women than the scholarship winners the ball supports, in this and previous years.
Former scholarship winners, now in the early stages of their promising professional careers, have formed an
alumni association. With each ball and new group of scholarship recipients, this alumni community will grow
in strength and offer yet another source of support for students following in their remarkable footsteps.
The FCC is proud to be the organiser of this event. I would like to extend my thanks to the members of the
organising committee who dedicate so much time and effort to the ball; our club staff; the Po Leung Kuk;
and our diamond sponsors J.P. Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Asia Motor Racing, UBS, Prosperity Holdings (HK),
Chopard, Cathay Pacific and Distilleria Bottega. Have a great night.