May 31, 2018– Title sponsored by Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”) and organized by the National Conditions Education (Macau) Association, the GEG Macau Cup – 10th Youth National Education Competition was held today at the JW Marriott Hotel Macau. Students from five local universities and 18 local secondary schools participated. The competition was high-spirited, with the participants enjoying themselves and the winners congratulating each other heartily. Prior to the award ceremony, the participants and guests sang the Chinese national anthem in an expression of patriotism and unity. As the event marks its 10^th year, GEG invited a renowned local scholar’s talk for participating university students and GEG team members on national conditions in China, and organized a quiz competition for the GEG employees in order to enhance their knowledge of national conditions and the Greater Bay Area Initiative in an interesting and diversified way.

Mr. Francis Lui, Vice Chairman of GEG, remarked in his speech, “As a Chinese corporation, GEG is honored to have been the title sponsor of the Youth National Education Competition for 10 consecutive years. Over the last decade, the event has achieved great results, attracting nearly 70,000 local students to participate and being recognized as one of the three major interschool competitions in Macau. GEG always has its heart in Macau and leverages on the Mainland. With the belief that ‘education engenders a strong country’, GEG proactively supports the Macau SAR Government’s talent cultivation policies and uses our resources to nurture local students’ understanding of their country. We also hope to encourage local young people to make contributions to the community when they enter employment.”

Mr. Jack Wang, President of the National Conditions Education (Macau) Association, said, “A country’s comprehensive strength is demonstrated by its great infrastructure projects. As the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is set to open this year, the National Conditions Education (Macau) Association chose to give the GEG Macau Cup – 10th Youth National Education Competition the theme of ‘Project of the Century – Strengthen the Country and Weave a Dream’. It is expected the competition will strengthen local youngsters’ understanding of the significance of ‘the project of the century’ for national development while increasing their knowledge of national conditions and enhancing their national pride and sense of national identity.”

24 Schools and Universities Compete for Championship

Today, teams from 18 local secondary schools and five local universities contended for the championship and runner-up prizes in the secondary school and university categories. One of the participating students opined that it is necessary for local students to understand national conditions and have a sense of what is happening in the local community, the country and the world. The student believes such knowledge will help a person’s vision broaden and opportunities multiply.

According to the organizing association, winning teams will be awarded a trip to Beijing, where they will visit different bodies of the Central Government, such as the Hong Kong and Macao Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, in order to further enhance their knowledge of national conditions.

200 GEG Team Members Participate

To mark the event’s 10th year, the Association and GEG invited Professor Liu Cheng Kun from the Institute for Sustainable Development at the Macau University of Science and Technology to host a talk entitled “Analysis of Development Opportunities for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area”. The talk was aimed at enhancing the audience’s knowledge of national development strategies. The attendees included over 200 GEG team members and managers, as well as students from participating universities.

Following the talk, the GEG team members took part in an exciting quiz competition after they had watched a competition for the university students. In the first round of the quiz competition, the competitors proactively answered multiple-choice questions. Ten team members advanced to the final round and stepped on stage to answer discussion questions on the topic of the Greater Bay Area Initiative. In the end, three GEG team members had pulled ahead in the competition. Ms. Eileen Lui, Group Director of Human Resources and Administration of GEG, was present and cheering on the competitors. In order to encourage the winning team members to further enhance their knowledge of national conditions, GEG will sponsor them to visit Beijing with the winning students and their teachers of this year’s competition. The tour will give them the valuable opportunity to visit various national government ministries and meet with political leaders while visiting the capital’s historic sites and scenic spots.

The annual event receives tremendous support from the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the Macao SAR, the People’s Liberation Army Macao Garrison, the Tertiary Education Services Office of the Macao SAR Government, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government and the Chinese Educators Association of Macau, as well as from Macau Yeng Kee Bakery.

Presenters at the award ceremony were Mr. Pu Hai Long, Deputy Director-General of the Culture and Education Department, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; Mr. Zheng Xin You, Head of the Department of Public Diplomacy and Information of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the Macao SAR; Mr. Gao Zhi Jun, Deputy Chief of Staff of the People’s Liberation Army Macao Garrison; Mr. Peng Wei, Dean of the General Office of the People’s Liberation Army  Macao Garrison; Ms. Leong Wai Kei, Deputy Director of the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau; Mr. He Shao Jin, President of the Chinese Educators Association of Macau; Dr. Yang Yun Zhong, Chief Judge of the GEG Macau Cup; Mr. Philip Cheng, Director of Galaxy Entertainment Group; and Ms. Li Wa Shan and Ms. Bonna Wong, representatives of Future Bright Group, which generously provided the prizes.

The winners of the university category of the GEG Macau Cup – 10th Youth National Education Competition are champion - the Macao Polytechnic Institute, 1^st runner up – the City University of Macau and 2^nd runner up – the University of Macau.

The winners of the secondary school category of the GEG Macau Cup – 10th Youth National Education Competition are champion – Pui Ching Middle School (Group 1) and Pooi To Middle School (Group 2); 1^st runner up – Hou Kong Middle School (Group 1) and Sacred Heart Canossian College (Group 2); 2^nd runner up – Escola Xin Hua (Group 1) and Yuet Wah College (Group 2). 

The winners of the GEG national conditions quiz are Jethro Pun from the Hospitality & Leisure Sales Department, Luis Fong from the Public Relations Department and Tina Leong from the Finance Department.