17 September 2021
Mr Chairman, Honorary University Fellows, distinguished guests, colleagues,
It gives me great pleasure to see you all here today, and I am delighted to welcome you to the Honorary University Fellowship Conferment Ceremony. After a year and a half of fighting the pandemic, no one can take anything for granted. We are blessed to be able to get together, both physically and online, to recognise the significant contributions and achievements of seven distinguished individuals. We are even more blessed to have them joining the HKBU family. On behalf of the University, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to our Honorary University Fellows: Mr Edmund Au, Professor Bridie Raban, Ms Shi Nan-sun, Professor Shu Chi-wang, Ms Eileen Tsui, Mr Jaap van Zweden and Ms Wu Man.
These seven Honorary University Fellows are renowned leaders in a wide range of professional fields, from education, music and film to mathematics and business. But they have a few things in common, and these attributes have enabled them to become the great men and women that they are today. To quote a famous line from Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Undoubtedly, they are talented individuals, but more importantly, they have followed their passions, whether it is in music, film, education, mathematics or in business, and they have worked hard to reach their present positions in their respective fields. Listening to their life stories, we are inspired by how their years of hard work and dedication have had a major impact on the world around us. We are touched by how their ingenious works and charitable acts bring hope and wonder to society.
“A man’s greatness is measured by his kindness.” This quote undoubtedly sums up our Honorary University Fellows! Their life stories are not just about their achievements, but they are also about their acts of kindness and the care they show for humanity. They are committed to giving something back to society through their public service and charity work, and they also graciously share their knowledge and expertise. By following the examples they set, we can each become an agent of change on a personal level, and we can use this awareness to create a better world in the midst of today’s challenging environment.
Since Hong Kong Baptist University was founded, it has been our vision and mission to deliver a whole-person education that focuses not only on academic excellence but also on service to society. As one of the top liberal arts universities in Asia and the world, we are committed to developing the leaders of tomorrow, and we equip our students with the skills and attributes to build a better future and advance humankind. The seven distinguished Honorary University Fellows are excellent role models. They embody our values, and they have all made a notable impact in their respective fields.
Today, we are indeed living in uncertain times. The threats brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and other crises cloud our planet. Since last year, the pandemic has disrupted our normal way of life, and it is expected to linger on for a prolonged period of time due to the emergence of variants. In early August, the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change pointed out that climate change is now “widespread, rapid, and intensifying, and some trends are now irreversible”, and over the past few months, we have witnessed devastating natural disasters all around the globe, from the wildfires in Canada to the floods in Germany. While we all need to rise to these challenges with courage and confidence, it is fortunate that there are exemplary people here today that we can look up to as a source of inspiration, motivation and wisdom.
The seven recipients are all distinguished and well-recognised leaders whose achievements show our students and the wider HKBU community that there are many ways to make the world a better place. This is very much aligned with our spirit and purpose at HKBU, as we have always worked to nurture well-rounded global citizens that can solve global problems and make a difference to the world and its population.
Once again, the University is blessed to be welcoming the seven Honorary University Fellows into the HKBU family. They are living examples of what it takes to be great, and they have achieved this by working wholeheartedly, following their passions and caring for humanity. Whether you are watching this online or physically here with us, I hope you will all join me in giving our new Fellows a round of applause.
Thank you.