| Hong Kong, March 19, 2009 – The South China Morning Post announced the launch of SCMP Homes for Hope, a charitable giving project, to help rebuild homes and lives for the victims devastated by the Sichuan earthquake last year. An official launch ceremony was held at the Island Shangri-La Hotel today to kick off a series of fundraising initiatives. Many of the city’s philanthropists and corporate patrons attended the launch event in support of this meaningful cause. Through a range of charity activities, the project aims to raise more than 15 million yuan (US$1.85 million) to rebuild nearly 1,000 homes for over 2,400 people and provide essential services for two of the hardest hit villages. The first is Qingquan (清泉村) in Mianzhu (綿竹) near Chengdu, and the other is the Tibetan village of Majiaxiang (馬家鄉) in the scenic area of Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝). The programme will engage residents in the rebuilding effort, giving them a sense of hope and pride in the process. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. David Pang, Chairman of SCMP Group, said: "As a leading media organization, we have taken the responsibility to leverage our communications platform, resources and relationships to the greatest extent possible for this worthy cause. We will focus on inspiring support of our readers, partners, corporate organizations and the general public. We will also be telling the ongoing story of the fund raising and rebuilding progress in our newspaper, website and other channels." In late 2008, Operation Santa Claus, a 21-year-old charity co-organised by Radio Television Hong Kong and the South China Morning Post, raised HK$3 million for the project. Sharing the same vision of a better tomorrow for the victims in Sichuan, the Hong Kong Government announced the funding support of HKD 10 million from the Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas at the launch event. A fundraising auction dinner will be held on May 12, the one-year anniversary of the earthquake, with The Honourable Mr. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, and senior officials from the central government’s Hong Kong & Macau Affairs Office as guests of honor. CoCo Lee, one of the most acclaimed and sought after Asian singers, will provide entertainment at the charitable event. In the coming months, SCMP Homes for Hope will be working closely with various dedicated business leaders through a range of exciting and effective fundraising activities. Supporting partners include Aedas, Art HK, Comic Relief, Island Shangri-La Hotel, Pacific Coffee, RTHK, Sino Land and Sotheby’s. About the South China Morning Post The South China Morning Post is Hong Kong’s premier English language newspaper and has the city’s most affluent and influential readership. First published in 1903, the newspaper has developed an enviable reputation for authoritative, influential and independent reporting on Hong Kong, China and the rest of Asia. Its online platform, scmp.com, reaches a global audience of China watchers with daily breaking news, multimedia articles and interactive forums. Striving to maintain the highest standards among the world’s quality newspapers, the South China Morning Post receives constant international recognition. It received 46 awards in 2008 for excellence in editorial, marketing and technical capability. |
| For media enquiry, please contact: Vivian Chun South China Morning Post Tel: (852) 2250 3114 Email: vivian.chun@scmp.com Amy Chan/Kathleen Lui Dynamic Network Alliances Ltd Tel: (852) 2849 3328 Email: amy.chan@dnahk.net/ kathleen.lui@dnahk.net |