7 August 2021
Chairman, Dr Chow, Distinguished Guests, Students and Colleagues,
On behalf of Hong Kong Baptist University, I would like to welcome you all to this exceptional Honorary Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony. This ceremony is exceptional because the person we are honouring today is Dr Chow Yun-fat, an icon of Hong Kong and a popular figure overseas who has demonstrated the unyielding and fighting spirit of Hong Kong and shaped the golden era of the local film industry.
Dr Chow was born into a grassroots family. The hardships he experienced during his childhood developed his character. His unceasing search for artistic perfection has empowered him to bring some well-known characters to life: be it a little guy or a hero, a gangster or a king. But without a doubt, the best character he has played is “Chow Yun-fat”. Looking back on his acting career, he has experienced many ups and downs. He has been an extra on TV, but he has also portrayed many well-known characters. He has received many film awards, but he has also starred in films that struggled at the box office. However, regardless of the good times or the bad, he keeps on working assiduously and tirelessly, and despite his fame and fortune, he has never stopped challenging himself. Most importantly, he remains humble and grateful for what he has, and his perseverance and humility make him an excellent role model for the younger generation.
Much like Dr Chow, HKBU is dedicated to cultivating talent for the film industry. As early as the 1970s, we already offered Hong Kong’s first film and video production course. In 1991, the Department of Cinema and Television was established. In 2009, the Academy of Film was set up to provide a more comprehensive and extensive cinematic arts and creative media education. Over the years, we have nurtured outstanding film talent, such as the world-renowned directors Felix Chong, Herman Yau, Alfred Cheung and Poon Hang-seng, and rising stars such as Steve Chan, Oliver Chan and Norris Wong. We also launched the Global University Film Awards (GUFA) in 2018. Envisaged as the “University Oscars”, GUFA has received thousands of quality submissions from budding movie-makers from universities across the globe. Renowned industry players were invited to be judges, and they also shared their knowledge with the students. GUFA has not only expanded the horizons of the students and raised the bar when it comes to student cinema, but it has also further cemented the international status of the Hong Kong film industry.
Today we are delighted to confer an Honorary Doctoral Degree on Dr Chow. I look forward to working together with Dr Chow to nurture our creative cinematic arts talent and further boost the Hong Kong film industry. Once again, congratulations to Dr Chow, and welcome to the HKBU family.
Thank you.