John Lee pledges annual HK$10 million for hometown groups
HK01 · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in the 2026 Policy Address that the government will continue reserving HK$10 million a year from the 2027-28 financial year to support hometown associations in staging more activities. The funding continues the Hometown Culture Promotion Scheme, which has backed more than 100 activities since its launch in 2024. Lee said the renewed support would place particular emphasis on strengthening young people’s understanding of, and sense of belonging to, their ancestral hometowns. The same policy package also highlighted plans for a museum on national development in Kwu Tung North and other possible measures on childbirth support and old-building maintenance
Key Points
- The Hometown Culture Promotion Scheme was announced in the 2023 Policy Address as a three-year programme offering HK$10 million annually to eligible local hometown associations
- The scheme began implementation in April 2024, and applications for its third-year 2026-27 projects opened in April this year
- Lee said more than 100 activities have already been organised under the scheme, and annual HK$10 million funding will continue from 2027-28.
- According to application guidelines, each activity normally receives up to HK$200,000, though larger grants may be approved based on scale, creativity and content
- Eligible groups must be locally registered, reputable, experienced in promoting hometown culture, and able to foster Hong Kong-mainland exchanges and patriotic education
Why It Matters
The continued funding gives hometown associations a stable source of public support beyond the scheme’s original three-year term, allowing them to plan recurring cultural and youth programmes with greater certainty. For Hong Kong readers, the move also shows the administration is tying community funding more closely to cultural identity, youth engagement and patriotic education priorities