By Jimmy Chow

Copyright scmp

Twenty-seven individuals and organisations have been shortlisted for this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards, including innovators who turn waste into resources and start-ups that make food systems greener.
Established in 2013, the annual awards recognise the efforts of Hong Kong’s unsung heroes who contribute to the community or inspire others with stories of how they overcome personal challenges.
“Hong Kong’s young people aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow. They’re already stepping up for Hong Kong today,” said Daryl Ng Win-kong, chairman of Sino Group, which co-organised the awards with the Post.
“Their creativity and courage are opening new paths in sustainability, technology and compassion. It’s truly inspiring to see their love for Hong Kong, and how they turn passions and bold ideas into real positive change for the whole community.”
The awards have nine categories – community, culture, innovation, sustainability, perseverance, teamwork, youth, nurturing and entrepreneurship.
Among the finalists are young people who launched projects that addressed urgent needs in education, health and sustainability.
Others built start-ups that made food systems greener or technology more accessible.
Also among them are illness survivors and people living with physical challenges who have turned their own struggles into leadership, guiding peers through hardship with empathy and practical help.
Grass-roots groups that worked side by side with companies and schools – showing how every layer of society can play a part in lifting others up – are also shortlisted.
For the innovation category, some finalists turned waste into resources, with projects ranging from reworking surplus food into affordable, nutritious meals to experimenting with recycled materials and clean energy.
Some shortlisted nominees showcase inclusivity, including retirees who once felt sidelined but are now teaching and mentoring, and women who entered professions where opportunities were once scarce.

“This spirit of inclusion is uniquely Hong Kong,” said Paulo Pong Kin-yee, founder of Altaya Group and chair of the awards’ judging panel.
“When we empower those on the margins, such as the elderly, minorities, people with disabilities and survivors, we do not just help them. We allow them to enrich us all with resilience, wisdom and new perspectives.”
All 27 individual stories will be told in the coming weeks.
The final winner in each category will be announced at a gala dinner scheduled for early December, when the Lion Rock People’s Choice Award, decided by public voting, will also be unveiled.