THE ITALIANCHAM MAGAZINE VOL.13

CONTENTS

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6

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38

42

44

52

57

President’s Memo

Message from the Consul General

Cover Story

Business Focus

What’s on Hong Kong

Chamber’s Spotlight

Take a Coffee Break

Talk of the Town

Chamber’s Patrons

Members’ Spotlight

Philanthropy by IWA

Art, Culture & Lifestyle

Past Events

Publisher The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao Room 1006-07, 10/F, OfficePlus @Sheung Wan, 93-103 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2521 8837 Email: icc@icc.org.hk Website: icc.org.hk

Official Magazine Distributor

Greetings from the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong & Macao May the spirit of this festive season bring you and your family hope, love and happiness.

Merry Christmas!

President’s Memo

Dear Members, Affiliates and Friends, As we approach the end of yet another unprecedented year and as we prepare for the celebrations and traditions of the upcoming holiday season, we are delighted to share with you the newly revised ItalianCham Magazine.

This issue, dedicated to themes of Generosity and Giving, is especially important to our Chamber as it embodies both our values and mission, along with our core belief of inclusiveness.

IVANO POMA President of Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong & Macao

This month, we extended our Honorary Membership to the Italian Women’s Association (IWA) which has, for over 25 years, actively and generously assisted communities in need in Hong Kong.

The Association, active since 1996 and representing the pride of the Italian community, has created uniquely special initiatives, which have become yearly traditions in themselves reaching beyond the Italian community as much anticipated events for locals alike. Perhaps the most special event, “Il Mercatino” (the Italian market), brings together an army of volunteers and the Italian business society, obtaining generously donated merchandise to raise funds for local charities, as an outstanding expression of IWA’s spirit of giving.

and connect Italian enterprises and professionals to the local community. In particular, our focus lays in the future integration of Hong Kong into the Greater Bay Area, a trajectory for growth that cannot be underestimated as it will certainly be the driver for opportunity and prosperity in the years to come.

On another note, it is with the support of our wonderful office team, and together with the Executive Committee that we present the Chamber’s first large scale event since 2019. Following many months of restrictions, we are hosting ”The Christmas Dinner 2021”, with all proceeds from the Secret Santa raffle to benefit the HK charity Watchdog Early Education Centre. We trust that this evening of celebration and giving will be the first of many more events throughout the coming year.

On behalf of the Executive Committee and all our team, we take this opportunity to extend our warmest wishes for a peaceful and healthy holiday season, and wish you a great start to a prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

With this same spirit, our Chamber strives to continue its mission to unite

President’s Memo − 05

Chamber’s Patrons

Message from the Consul General I am very glad to send my best wishes of Merry Christmas to the members of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao.

It is time to say goodbye to 2021 and look to the New Year with confidence and optimism.

Italy is set to bounce back stronger than before the pandemic.

In a still challenging global environment, our Country’s GDP is expected to increase by more than 6 per cent this year. Our export of trade is at its historical high. The national recovery plan, supported by the European Union, will drive growth, innovation, ecological transition and social inclusion in the next five years.

CLEMENTE CONTESTABILE Consul General of Italy

Hong Kong is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

These positive trends are going to create business and investment opportunities for Italian corporations operating in Hong Kong as well as for Hong Kong companies doing business with Italy.

The Consulate General, the Italian Trade Agency and the Chamber of Commerce are here to support the development of economic and financial ties between Italy and the special administrative region of Hong Kong.

I trust that a shiny New Year is waiting for us.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas (Buon Natale) and a blessed and successful New Year (Felice Anno Nuovo)!

Auguri!

Clemente Contestabile Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong

Despite harsh travel restrictions affecting our lives and our business, the local economic situation is improving. There are good chances to see the border with Mainland China reopened soon. The Hong Kong Government is launching an array of new investment programs designed to promote its standing as international trade, shipping and financial hub, in line with national priorities.

Message from the Consul General − 07

We take a step forward on green logistics.

From going paperless to introducing e-vehicles and eco-friendly materials, we care for our mother earth as much as your merchandises.

Worldwide Luxury Services: GLOBAL DOOR-TO-DOOR & DOMESTIC TRANSPORTATION ADVANCED IN HOUSE ICT PLATFORM & SUPPORT HIGH-LEVEL GLOBAL EXHIBITION & PRIVATE EVENTS SUPPORT CUSTOMS DOCUMENTATION HANDLING & BROKERAGE COUNSULTANCY COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE SERVICES WAREHOUSING, DISTRIBUTION & TECHNICAL QUALITY TAILOR-MADE LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS & CONSULTATIONS

BRAZIL | CANADA | MEXICO | U.S.A. | BARHEIN | DUBAI | ISRAEL | KUWAIT | LEBANON | MALI | QATAR | SAUDI ARABIA | SOUTH AFRICA | CHINA | HONG KONG | INDIA | JAPAN | SOUTH KOREA | MACAU | MALAYSIA | SINGAPORE | SRI LANKA | TAIWAN | THAILAND | CAMBODIA | LAOS | VIETNAM | AUSTRALIA | NEW ZEALAND |ARMENIA | AUSTRIA | BELGIUM | CYPRUS | CZECH REPUBLIC | FRANCE | GERMANY | GREECE | ITALY | MALTA | THE NETHERLANDS | PORTUGAL | PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO | SPAIN | SWITZERLAND | TURKEY | UNITED KINGDOM

FERRARI LOGISTICS (ASIA) LTD HEAD OFFICE: 16/F Block A Hong Kong Worsted Mills Industrial Building, 31-39 Wo Tong Tsui Street, Kwai Chung, N.T., Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2264 2001 Fax: (852) 2264 2037 Email: info.hongkong@ferrarigroup.net

www.ferrarigroup.net

Chamber’s Spotlight

Executive Committee 2021 - 2022 Mr Ivano Poma

Mr Federico Palomba

CEO China Red Star Real Estate Group President

Managing Director, APAC Juventus F.C. Executive Committee Member

Mr Davide De Rosa

Mr Alessandro Vitale

Partner Gianni & Origoni Vice-President

Chief Executive Hong Kong Branch, General Manager Asia Pacific Hub Intesa Sanpaolo Executive Committee Member

Mr Harry Ho Managing Director AOGB Professional Services Group Corporate Secretary

Mr Francesco Vitali Director - Italy Tax Services Deloitte AP ICE Limited Executive Committee Member

Mr Alessandro Pedrinoni CEO Asia Pacific Fidinam Treasurer

Mr Clemente Contestabile Consul General of Italy Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong Honorary Member

Ms Barbara Stella Cerioli General Legal Counsel - Asia Pacific Tod’s Hong Kong Limited Executive Committee Member

Mrs Gioia Morena Gatti Trade Commissioner Italian Trade Commission Honorary Member

Mr Christian Foddis President Asia Pacific Ermenegildo Zegna Executive Committee Member

Ms Alessandra Bettiol President Italian Women’s Association Honorary Member

Mr Marco Galimberti Managing Director Venchi Executive Committee Member

Mr Filippo Melchionni Managing Director Chief Operating Officer APAC Ferrari Group Executive Committee Member

Chamber’s Spotlight − 09

Chamber’s Spotlight How can the Committee help corporations focus and understand the importance of practising the green and circular economy?

Introduction of the Green and Circular Economy Committee What are the scope and the main goal of the Green and Circular Economy Committee?

The Green and Circular Economy Committee (the “Committee”) was created a few months ago on the basis of a collective effort among the members of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao (ICC). The committee aims to facilitate the adoption of sustainability principles in the Hong Kong business community together with the sharing of experiences and best practices towards the circular economy. It also aspires to support the promotion of a post-epidemic green recovery of the economy introduced by the HKSAR Government and the adoption of suitable strategies to support a durable and sustainable economic growth.

In this regard, the main goals of the Committee are to help Italian companies explore sustainable business opportunities in Hong Kong and Macao and act as a bridge with other private institutions to understand the most appropriate steps towards the development of a greener economy. Another key objective is to educate ICC members on the adoption of the Circular Economy and the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) practices in their business models.

The Committee is determined to achieve these ambitious goals by mapping out initiatives that generate new business opportunities and share knowledge simultaneously. In addition, the Committee aims to add value to ICC members by sharing incentives, innovation projects and educational content related to Sustainability and the Circular Economy proposed by the Government and other institutions.

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With rapid economic growth worldwide, the environmental impact is becoming a key driver of our current economic models. Sustainable industries are booming across APAC and with the Hong Kong Government committed to leading Hong Kong to become a green and sustainable city, plenty of opportunities arise. The Committee identified five major objectives to help corporations focus and understand the crucial aspects of sustainability and how the circular economy can support economic recovery.

Firstly, the Committee will update members on the existing and planned incentive schemes initiated by the Government, such as the recently launched funding scheme - Green Tech Fund conceived to support a sustainable business transition.

Secondly, the Committee will engage with members with a view to scouting the latest technologies, products and services available in the market thus providing different innovative solutions for a sustainable transition.

Thirdly, the Committee will promote networking sessions for members to exchange thoughts and opportunities to meet different institutes, private companies and public entities.

Fourthly, the Committee will work alongside private/public institutes and companies to organize meetings, workshops, aiming to spread knowledge on sustainable matters with a view to raise awareness and understanding about the opportunities in the Green and Circular Economy applicable in the Asia Pacific.

Last but not least, the Committee will strengthen community relations by bringing like-minded enterprises together to create business opportunities related to the Circular Economy principles and practices.

Why do you think it is crucial to accelerate the transition of sustainable business models?

The threat of climate change and environmental issues are conspicuous, including more frequent and intense typhoons, ocean and air pollution, persistent droughts, heatwaves and devastating fires, melting glaciers, just to name a few. We may not be the first generation who is causing climate change, but very likely we are the last generation who is able to mitigate it.

Climate change is widespread, rapid and intensifying and the time to effectively react is very limited. Before the opening of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, the UN updated the synthesis of climate actions plans as communicated in countries’ National Determined Contributions (NDCs). The report confirmed that for all available NDCs, the UN anticipated a further increase of about 16% in global GHG emissions in 2030 compared to the one anticipated in 2010. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), if the economic system remains within the same “business as usual” strategy, we may lead to a temperature rise of about 2.7°C by the end of the century.”

The warning is loud. Companies should no longer practice traditional business models as they are a major cause of climate change. It is becoming of paramount importance therefore that the global economy rapidly transitions to sustainable business models to tackle the crisis.

Chairperson: Mr Alessandro Vitale, Chief Executive and General Manager Asia Pacific Hub at Intesa Sanpaolo

Project Lead: Mr Edoardo Francesco Sabatino, Vice President, Sustainable Finance APAC at Intesa Sanpaolo

How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the transition towards a circular economy and how do you think it will evolve in the future?

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates how the global economy is in fact more resilient than we imagined, we managed to adapt to the circumstance effectively. Before the pandemic, work-from-home and online meetings were quite unusual. Nonetheless, very promptly, after the pandemic hit, our communities have seen a very high sense of adaptation to a fully digital working model thus clearly showing a very important element of the resilience of the global economy.

In this regard, the transition towards a more digital economic model could help substantially an early adoption of a circular model to create value for all stakeholders. In fact with the pandemic, a number of organisations are having a great opportunity to embrace these innovative principles and rethink their strategic business model towards a more regenerative way of producing.

Moreover, Circular Economy is being considered as a major pandemic recovery strategy. Companies are learning that adopting a circular model, along with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices can improve their resilience by transforming their supply chain into a regenerative model with reduced dependence on natural resources. In truth, companies that practice circularity fared much better than others during the pandemic also according to civil society. Therefore, we can anticipate in the near future that more companies will be adopting these fundamental practices after the lesson taught by the pandemic.

Chamber’s Spotlight − 11

Members’ Spotlight

How would you describe your company in 3 words and why?

THE ITALIAN WAY At PAZTA, you can enjoy the exact same dishes that you can savour in Venice, Bologna, Rome, Naples or Palermo.

PAZTA commissions top-class chefs and suppliers in Italy to make its products when fresh ingredients are in season, which is how PAZTA is able to serve such high-quality, consistent food at such affordable prices.

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Finding the right Italian ingredients overseas is not easy. Even when they can be found, they are rarely of the highest quality. PAZTA has no need to compromise on the origins and quality of its ingredients because these are sourced when they are in season in Italy.

There are limits to what individual chefs can do, but PAZTA can access all the best regional specialities from specialised chefs all over Italy. In fact, one of PAZTA’s goals is to showcase the more unusual, cultural aspects of the products that Italy has to offer. For example, Bologna’s lasagna is different from Genoa’s lasagna which is different from Naples’ lasagna… so PAZTA gives you the chance to sample and compare all of them, by serving all three together.

Tell us about a successful project that PAZTA runs.

The logistic challenge we face in order to serve real Italian food the Italian way is enormous, but it is worth it.

The experience at PAZTA isn’t so much about which dishes we make but how they have always been made. Long before farm-to-table was fashionable, this way was the standard, day-to-day way of things in Italy, with Italian families dedicating great attention to the finest details of how to use the right ingredients, techniques and ways of preparing food that make all the difference in the final dish, from town to town, region to region.

And thanks to our partnerships with passionate, dedicated farmers and producers, we can keep right up to date with changes in industry trends, customers’ preferences and technological advancements. If there is demand for a product, be it vegan, bio or gluten-free, PAZTA can introduce it immediately.

We encourage customers to experiment with new selections by offering not only more information on their chosen dishes - such as their origins, their history, how to pair them with wines, etc., but also samples of other less familiar products, which the customers might then feel inclined to order next time.

What is the special relationship between PAZTA and Hong Kong?

To be an F&B player in Hong Kong is like – as we say in Italy – playing in “Serie A”; PAZTA’s founders really do believe that Hong Kong is the top division when it comes to dining out.

they are exactly the kind of guests that can appreciate our efforts to provide an experience which is 100% authentic.

Company Profile PAZTA’s mission is to make authentic, premium quality Italian dining accessible to everyone.

At PAZTA, authenticity is not just a catchword; if it’s not made the Italian way, then it’s just not PAZTA. Our menu is made up exclusively of products that have been enjoyed throughout Italy for generations and have been designed to showcase many of Italy’s more unusual culinary traditions.

PAZTA at Tai Kwun is a great all-day dining choice for any occasion, especially when that occasion is enjoyed on our enviable open terrace. We also devise inspiring customised menus for every kind of party or event, and we are always delighted to tailor our offerings to fit guests’ dietary requirements or personal preferences, be that craving for a superphotogenic birthday cake or a DJ with an extra special playlist.

With arguably the best and most diverse dining offering to be experienced anywhere, Hong Kong is one of the toughest markets anywhere to launch a new restaurant format, but PAZTA’s founders believe that for this very reason Hong Kong is the best place in the world to test and perfect its unique approach to showcasing products that have been enjoyed throughout Italy for generations.

Hong Kong diners are incredibly wellinformed and discerning, which is why Members’ Spotlight − 13

Members’ Spotlight

Tell us about a successful project that Ritail runs.

How would you describe your company in 3 words and why?

PHYGITAL, RESILIENCE, INTEGRATION Due to COVID-19, Italy’s strict lockdown in 2020 sparked the idea of founding Ritail. Guido, the founder of Ritail, together with a team of Italian retailers and a group of skilled freelance software developers, designed a platform for priority booking access to shops, closed spaces, and government offices in response to the government disease prevention regulations. Some of the 14 − Members’ Spotlight

major premium outlets in Italy had a restricted capacity that caused long waiting times for entry.

A new journey to retail analytics has begun with the data gathered with our new booking platform. Ritail aspired to build an ecosystem with integrated solutions, including giving useful insights on customers-guests WiFi management and email marketing tool that pays attention to privacy and security. Furthermore, we have created an application that coordinates all the operations of the mall into a B2B portal for the landlord, management team and tenants. This application integrates the sales tracking system and the whole operation management system with a powerful BI engine.

Our cloud solutions have always been targeting the B2B market, but Ritail has recently launched a B2B2C marketplace platform for shopping malls. This platform allows all tenants including physical stores and virtual stores’ tenants, to enroll and start selling online exclusive products, special capsule collections, or part of their product lines.

Ritail.shop, a special project developed

by Ritail and a major Italian group specialising in commercialisation and luxury retail property, has launched in two places, namely Turin and Sicily, where a lot of retailers have strong beliefs in the platform prior to launching.

The decentralized logistics managed by individual shops rather than a central warehouse, together with a seamless customer experience are the key factors for the success of the project.

While Ritail is already developing a spinoff of the platform that targets shopping districts instead of shopping

malls, aiming to integrate existing e-commerce channels or start a new channel from scratch for local street shops, we are aiming to conquer the Hong Kong market.

What is the special relationship between RITAIL and Hong Kong?

Far East Asia, particularly Hong Kong, accounts for a large part of the Italian exports in fashion, design and food, with a focus on the luxury segment.

Experts have developed proficiency in the retail industry, including the information technology supply chain over the years and reached full maturity. Shopping malls and premium outlets in Hong Kong are one of the most renowned ones in the world, they are still growing at a fast pace yet in need of reinventing to keep pace with e-commerce. Therefore, we believe with a strong background of expertise in cloud and software architectures, and plentiful experience in the Italian retail industry, we can introduce our IT model to Hong Kong local businesses.

Company Profile Ritail aims at sponsoring a seamless integration between the online and the traditional retail industry, where the competition is focused on the brand value and not on the sales channel.

We see a sustainable future where local retailers can leverage their competitive advantage over traditional e-commerce, thanks to their move towards technology.

This link between high tech and staying local is also the key to contributing to the environment when revamping systems and logistics can save time, energy, and fuel.

Our mission is to build a 360 degrees IT platform for the Retail Industry, digitizing all processes, and keeping a consistent and integrated ecosystem of software solutions with an Italian touch.

As merchants are not usually keen on embracing innovation, especially when it relates to computers, we are going to provide immediate, simple but effective tools to analyze, grow, and modernize their business. Giving retailers an accurate insight into the economics and demographics of their sales, along with projecting online their channel, is the trampoline to the relaunch.

Ritail is partnering with major hardware and software vendors to build its own cloud infrastructure. We can offer data center services located in Hong Kong, Canada, and Italy, tailor-made for our Saas solutions, but also available for third-party applications, both as a private and public cloud. We also work with established service providers in other locations in Europe, the US, and Asia to provide a managed cloud located according to the customers’ needs.

Members’ Spotlight − 15

Cover Story

Generosity can bring everyone closer together.

What can businesses gain from the act of giving?

“ Giving employees a sense of purpose can be conducive to employee retention, engagement, and wellbeing, and subsequently, productivity. ” Christmas, the season of giving, is again around the corner.

Collectively, we find ourselves scratching our head, pondering, “Where has the time gone?” Another year of COVID-19 has certainly warped our sense of time. It has also brought another year of cancelled plans and family visits, and in-person events invariably teetering on the edge of postponement or cancellation.

Thankfully, technology is showing us that connection needs not be bound by geographical constraints.

But connection is just one of the things that the pandemic compelled us to rethink. In countries such as the US and UK, employees across the board, from low-wage to whitecollar workers, are resigning in droves. What is happening?

The pandemic offered employees an opportunity to evaluate their companies’ integrity in upholding their corporate social responsibility, and many have since packed up, in search of workplaces and work cultures where their values and priorities are more aligned. Jolted back to reality, managers and business owners are asking, “Where is that greener pasture that our top talents have gone off to?”

Today, employees want their companies’ CSR initiatives to go beyond one-off activities that prioritise photo ops over actual capacity building for selected charities or NGOs. Particularly to Millennial and Gen Z employees, CSR is no longer a nice-tohave, but it needs to be a solid strategy to drive positive social and environmental impact, integrated into the business development strategy. And don’t cut corners with your CSR initiatives either – the tech-savvy employees of the modern workplace have all the means and data to hold you accountable.

with minimum resources. In addition to establishing impactdriven grant-making strategies for your foundation, corporate philanthropy also exists in the form of skills-based volunteering, which helps train your employees into compassionate leaders while leveraging their skills and expertise to build organisational capacity for charities and NGOs. As a company adopting an impact-driven business model, you can benefit from talent retention and attraction, higher productivity from employees and potentially better business outcomes, higher customer loyalty, and partnership opportunities with other companies that share the vision of redefining CSR. Here’s a sobering thought: COVID is far from behind us, and the climate crisis is catching up with us. In the midst of all this, structural inequalities are exposed and further exacerbated.

Before joining the chant of “We are all in this together to build back better”, align your purpose within your company first. As some of the stakeholders of your business, are your employees treated with compassion and generosity too? Start by building solidarity from within, and witness the culture of giving expanding organically outwards.

Read our feature stories this month and learn how your company and employees can both benefit from generosity in corporate culture, and likewise, how your company and the charitable organizations of your choice can reap mutual benefits from a human-centric philanthropic approach.

We wish you an impactful, fruitful, and rewarding season of giving!

Giving employees a sense of purpose can be conducive to employee retention, engagement, and wellbeing, and subsequently, productivity. By all means leverage your employees’ strong sense of purpose and encourage them to help identify the causes that your company can help address. Is it poverty, gender equality, or climate change? Conduct listening tours to find out the most urgent issues in the community that you operate in.

Once you have grown these purpose-driven leaders, task them with the creation, management, and participation in community projects, as a way to promote generosity in your company’s culture. Think of your grant-making programmes as investing for positive impact. Amplify your corporate philanthropic giving by effectively channeling your corporate resources to the organisations that are generating maximum sustained impact

Cover Story − 17

Cover Story

Generosity in Corporate Culture - Transforming Corporate Culture with the Act of Giving

By Pierre Perusset, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong At The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, the act of giving is an integral part of our culture. Every year, we are involved in many Community Footprint activities. In fact, our company, Marriott International, has a strong commitment to social responsibility and “giving back”. The act of giving in every continent, every country and every city where we operate hotels is alive and part of who we are as a people-oriented company.

Indeed, many businesses around the world take pride in involving and supporting various charities, they are very active in supporting communities around them.

However, today, I would like to share with you a different act of giving which is less obvious, creates less publicity, but is absolutely critical in running a successful 18 − Cover Story

business. This kind of generosity costs nothing and brings enormous benefits to any organization that deeply engages in such practice. As we all witness often when we patronize hotels, restaurants, shops, banks, taxis and other service providers, there is a lack of generosity provided to guests and customers. The kind of generosity I am referring to costs nothing, it is easy to practice and brings great benefits to both customers and business operators. Let me elaborate on the kind of generosity each service provider should engage in by practising the generous acts of:

SMILING GREETING ASSISTING THANKING One may be flabbergasted with the notion that the most obvious act of generosity is not giving away a gift or money, but it is a simple and basic human behaviour, which sadly has been partially lost or rarely practised. Every day, I witness employees of service providers being disengaged and unwilling to be generous when facing customers. Smiles are missing, greetings are lacking, and eventually, minimum assistance is provided. THANK-YOU is a

simple and powerful word but is not used enough. If such behaviours are not part of the company culture, there will be little chance for the employees to demonstrate these simple human acts when facing customers.

At The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, part of our culture includes our Gold Standards, and one of them is called “Three Steps of Service”: Three Steps of Service 1. A warm and sincere greeting.

2. Use the guest’s name. Anticipation and fulfilment of each guest’s needs.

3. Fond farewell. Give a warm goodbye and use the guest’s name.

Though it is simple and easy to practice, if such behaviour is not clearly written, and energized (daily) in the company culture, such warm behaviours simply won’t be displayed. To measure the benefits of generosity has on any business, all we need to do is to visualize how you would feel when dining at a good restaurant where the service provided was warm, kind, and genuine as illustrated above; versus a cold and disengaged type of service. Surely if the service was generous, one will be more inclined to return versus a restaurant with cold service where one

will probably never visit again. Generosity is one of the pillars in life and lacking in generosity will not bring real success to any business. Instead, it will jeopardize the happiness of both the giver and the receiver. Therefore, I strongly encourage leaders to take an objective look at their company culture. If such a simple act of giving is not clearly written and therefore not widely practised, perhaps it is time to review the company’s direction.

As we live in such a fast-paced world, let’s remember that a little generosity (smiling, greeting, assisting and thanking) to others will completely transform your day and enhance your life.

Thank you to all of you.

Cover Story − 19

Cover Story

Generali staff at the OneSky Family Centre

The Human Safety Net: Partnering with OneSky to Bring Better Future for Vulnerable Children

By Josi Chiang, Head of The Human Safety Net, Generali Hong Kong Behind the glamorous lifestyle portrayed in movies in Hong Kong, there are many unseen vulnerable families living in poverty, family members squeezed in the city’s notoriously tiny ‘coffin homes’.

According to the latest Poverty Situation Report 2020, more than one in five Hong Kongers, or 1.65 million people, are living in poverty; measured on an income of less than HK$4,400 for one person, or less than a combined $16,000 for a three-person household. Poverty has

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significant consequences on children’s growth and development, and it might even hinder their future opportunities.

At Generali, living in the community is one of our core values. From that, stemmed The Human Safety Net.

The Human Safety Net: A Global Movement The Human Safety Net (THSN) is Generali’s global movement of people helping people. Our mission is to unlock the potential of people living in vulnerable circumstances, so that they can transform the lives of their families and communities.

In Hong Kong, THSN focuses on supporting families with young children.

We believe parents have the largest and most long-lasting impact on children. Therefore, with the aim of benefiting children, especially during the fundamental ages of 0 - 6 where the foundations of development are laid, we seek to support parents with young children between 0 - 6.

Partnering with OneSky With this aim, Generali has partnered with OneSky - an organization that aspires to create a better future for vulnerable children in Hong Kong while strengthening family ties, creating community connections and expanding the capacity of caregivers.

The OneSky Family Centre, situated in one of Hong Kong’s poorest areas, Sham Shui Po, provides a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment for children aged 0 - 6 and their parents to learn and play.

With state-of-the-art facilities, children are able to develop cognitive, physical and socio-emotional skills that are necessary for their growth. The OneSky Family Centre also offers parenting skills workshops, consultation and referral services for families.

Through workshops and consultations, OneSky educates communities and caregivers on the OneSky’s Responsive Approach, a tested method proven to have a positive impact on a child’s development.

Key Activities in 2021 Generali supports OneSky with raising brand awareness, fundraising, and volunteering. In 2021, we organized and participated in: Translating parenting tips for the local community As part of the Parenting for Lifelong Health Initiative in partnership with leading organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, and Oxford University, our volunteers translated parenting tips and videos to Chinese for local parents, so they can benefit from advice provided by experts.

Fundraising Challenge Over 160 staff participated in a fundraising challenge - to walk 20 million steps in 2 weeks to raise funds for OneSky. We overachieved our targets and all funds raised went directly to OneSky to benefit thousands of vulnerable families in Hong Kong.

Tour to the OneSky Centre We organized tours to the OneSky Centre for our staff. The tours demonstrated the difference they are making for the Centre. We also organized a tour with local media to help OneSky gain additional exposure in the community.

Christmas Party We are planning a Christmas Party with the beneficiary families.

The Party will include game booths hosted by our staff volunteers, taking photos with Santa, and gifting goodie bags for them to celebrate Christmas.

Support OneSky Join us in supporting OneSky and helping vulnerable families in Hong Kong by making your donation at onesky.org/donate.

Cover Story − 21

Cover Story

The Centre of Our Operations: Giving Back to the Community

By Hazel Chan, Regional Marketing Manager, Greater China, Crown Worldwide Group Crown has always put giving back at the centre of our operations. Two of our five core values (Determined, Sharing, There, Caring and Open-Minded) reflect this – “Caring” and “There” – highlight how important goodwill and generosity meant for us as an organisation. We care about people. We care about their experience, their feelings and the environment.

Annual charitable cause With the pandemic still going on, we were unable to get involved in as many charitable activities as we had before.

Yet we are proud that our employees still managed to support, amongst others, disadvantaged children, the underprivileged and people who suffer from breast cancer and mental health problems.

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Crown Hong Kong has been supporting the American Women’s Association of Hong Kong (AWA) annual charity bazaar for many years. The Charity Bazaar is an annual fundraising event that supports project-based grant applications submitted by charities every year, aiming to help fund grassroots organizations such as education scholarships for local students and charitable grants for the needy throughout Hong Kong. Similar to past years, apart from the monetary contributions, Crown donated 600 shopping bags and 70 carton boxes to AWA and provided logistical support to ensure the seamless execution of AWA’s 34th Charity Bazaar this year.

“Giving back to the community is essential in our operations,” Luis Contreras, General Manager Hong Kong & Macau said. “We will continue to put our customers at the heart of everything we do, focus on the wellbeing of our employees and remain committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, ensuring that Crown will be stronger tomorrow.”

Protecting our planet Crown is determined to mitigate our negative impact on the environment.

From embracing new packing service technology to planting trees, using recycled packaging to recycling furniture, the steps we take are small, but we are going on a long journey to help protect the environment and lessen our negative impact on the earth.

Crown Hong Kong has been donating used packing cartons to the Crossroads Foundation for nearly two decades.

They are used to pack humanitarian supplies for people living in developing countries. In 2020, Crown donated over 500 cartons to the Foundation to pack hygiene items for hundreds of NGOs in Hong Kong to distribute to the local communities facing COVID-19 crises.

This year, Crown has donated more than 700 cartons to The Community Chest and The Zubin Foundation to support local welfare services.

Crown is committed to making a positive difference in every community where we live and work.

“ GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL IN OUR OPERATIONS ” Luis Contreras, General Manager Hong Kong & Macau

Cover Story − 23

Cover Story

The Importance of Being a Team Player - Practicing Inclusion in the Workplace

By Alessandra Zappaterra, Communication and Social Media Manager, Tablo Limited Do you remember the opening lines of ‘About a Boy’? Will Freeman, the protagonist started with “every man is an island”, which justifies his eternal status as a selfish and carefree man, as opposed to what John Donne, the English poet claimed, “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main”.

Everyone can make personal decisions in our own kingdom as we are solely responsible for the consequences.

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However, can we still make individual decisions in the workplace?

more likely to contribute to the workplace with their maximum productivity.

After embarking on our career, it is safe to say we all agree no one is irreplaceable and there are no more or less important jobs than others. This illustrates the concept of a team precisely. A team is where we work together towards common goals instead of an individual.

But one may wonder how to establish relationships with a new colleague.

Let us take a look at the study conducted

by EY on the importance of belonging to better understand the emotional impact caused by the sense of belonging. The research consists of the survey results of 1,000 employed American adults, which showed that over 40% of respondents felt physically and emotionally isolated in the workplace. The result proved that exclusion, which is equal to having a low sense of belonging at the workplace, is a growing problem. Therefore, it is vital for businesses to connect with their employees effectively, creating a sense of belonging in the workplace.

As human beings, we have a psychological need to be part of something, to fulfil our sense of belonging; be it a family, a group of friends, a culture or a country.

It is the same in the workplace - we need to have a sense of belonging in the workplace. We are more productive, motivated and engaging when we have a sense of belonging. According to research conducted by the Centre for Talent Innovation, employees who have a high sense of belonging are 3.5 times

The survey concluded with one simple solution: create more opportunities for colleagues to engage with each other.

The study stated that 39% of respondents felt a sense of belonging when they interact with each other, both personally

and professionally. By reaching out to employees on a personal level, businesses and leaders can significantly improve the employee’s sense of belonging by making them feel valued and connected.

Tablo is a small, but gradually growing company - a bit like a big family. We organize brunches, table football evenings, cocktails and Sunday roasts regularly. While most of our staff are Italian, it is essential for us to include others who do not speak Italian or those who adopt different traditions and habits. Tablo engages employees in various activities, including celebrating both Christmas and the Chinese New Year. Apart from that, we are also very committed to supporting good causes as a team.

It is now very common for businesses in the Bel Paese to promote corporate volunteering.

For one, corporate volunteering improves the atmosphere of the workplace by enhancing employees’ satisfaction with their employer. Corporate volunteering is also important to businesses as it increases their reputation. Through volunteering, businesses show that they are socially responsible. For this very reason, we will

continue to support good causes and hope more businesses will do this too.

Last but not least, while our team prepares to grow and welcome the opening of our new store, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tablo has always had a partnership with The Italian Women’s Association (IWA), a registered charity in Hong Kong that raises funds through events and donate the proceeds to various Hong Kong charities. Each month, Tablo pledges to donate 20% of its online proceeds to the association.

Apart from the IWA, Tablo supports another significant project, Missione Possibile Hong Kong. Missione Possibile is an Italian non-profit organisation in Hong Kong that supports missionary projects, aiming to protect fundamental human rights, including education, adequate medical care and freedom of thought. Tablo is proud to be the lucky draw sponsor for a charity football match in November.

Tablo supports the Italian Women’s Association (IWA) by donating 20% of our online proceedings every month

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Cover Story

Promote Wellness in the F&B Industry and Raise Funds for Important Charitable Causes: F&B Run Club, an initiative founded by METAGROUP In the past few years, the F&B industry has been through some extremely challenging times. METAGROUP through its various companies has been very active to support the F&B industry and its people through various initiatives and acts of benevolence to support the community.

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Amongst others, the F&B Run Club was established to drive fundraising activities for local charities and also to help draw attention to mental health within the F&B industry, its workers, and the importance of wellness. The two charities involved are InspiringHK Sports Foundation and Lifewire Foundation. Both local charities will be tailoring fundraising and support for F&B families in need.

Chan, a Hong Kong-raised wellness enthusiast and F&B entrepreneur, has witnessed firsthand not only the devastating economic impact of the pandemic on the industry, but also F&B workers’ stress issues caused by the demanding nature of the work as well as the difficult environment all businesses currently face. As a result, he hopes that this positive new campaign will boost wellness levels and help those working in the F&B industry to achieve a sustainable

balance between work-related stress and their overall health.

“In these devastating times for the F&B industry, we want to bring some positivity to our community and help those who have been impacted the hardest,” says Chan, founder of F&B Run Club. “Running and other forms of physical activity have a direct impact on improving overall fitness & mental health, so we want to encourage people in the industry to embrace a more active lifestyle while channelling energy into a worthy cause – and have a good time along the way.”

F&B Run Club’s inaugural mission is “Run to the Moon” with an aim of collectively accumulating 384,400 km (the distance from Earth to the moon) between 1st April and 31st December 2021. To help reach this ambitious goal, a select group of diverse industry personalities have

generously donated their time to amplify the campaign’s efforts as part of the F&B Run Club Committee. They range from restaurateurs (Syed Asim Hussain of Black Sheep Restaurants, Manuel Palacio of Pirata Group, Amanda Strang of Flakes & Layers, Alan Lo of Duddell’s) to bartenders (Agung Prabowo of Penicillin and Dead &, Jay Khan of COA) to journalists (Charmaine Mok of Tatler) and others filling various duties across the F&B ecosystem.

To date, the F&B Run Club has raised HKD400,000 and has close to 700 club members contributing their kilometres by running, jogging walking, or hiking. The pandemic has equalized everyone in this world, and we view all our F&B industry community as an integrated ecosystem, and want to do our best to channel positivity and channel benevolence along the way.”

Joining the cause couldn’t be easier.

Participants need only download the Strava app (http://strava.com) and

register, then request to join the F&B Run Club group (https://www.strava.com/ clubs/fnbrunclub). After being approved and added to the group, runners, walkers and hikers can start logging workouts using the app’s “RUN” setting to contribute toward the collective goal of 384,400 kilometres. Schedules for group activities will be posted on Strava, and updates will also be shared on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ fnbrunclub/) and the official website: https://www.fnbrunclub.com/.

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Cover Story

Togetherness in Separation

By Robert Rafferty, Digital Marketing Executive, Statrys With COVID-19 leaving catastrophic implications, companies are facing unprecedented challenges in managing corporate culture. When team meetings are separated by a big screen and closed borders in between, corporate culture undoubtedly takes a toll amidst the global shutdown. With face-to-face meetings becoming a term of the past, the pandemic itself is reshaping the entire scene of individual working experience, collaboration and productivity.

Corporate culture is a unique value for us at Statrys, or anyone, in helping businesses to retain talents, but when that was hindered, how do we keep the team, or even the company, together?

Just like our product, the answer lies in this very element - digitalization.

With national lockdowns obstructing the interactions amongst teams, remote working became the gateway to regaining or simulating the in-person experience through the flat-screen. As ironic as it might sound, it is crucial to building team success when the physical workplace is absent.

A stiff workplace is never the solution that leads to the success of startups.

We hold on to this steadfast belief that our employees should possess the freedom and choice to work however and wherever that upholds our company culture. A traditional workplace does not dictate a startups’ success - our

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employees do. At Statrys, we strive to eliminate any traditional boundary that limits our creativity and performance.

We adopt flexibility in our workplace and working hours, giving our employees full access where freedom and creativity can be realized without any constraints.

To enhance a sense of community in distance, Statrys previously hosted a few culture-building events via Zoom to achieve this goal. Through this crossborder virtual space, we, as a company get to create a shared collaborative experience between team members and build something uniquely owned by each member in the organization. The flexibility and adaptability that we hold dearly are what brings Statrys global success in the beginning, even amidst pandemics.

Giving Back: Supporting Local Sports Teams Statrys does not just adapt to the pandemic, but we also evolve by giving back to the community, supporting local sports teams. As more people are receiving the covid vaccine and restrictions starting to relax, Statrys has

been giving more support to local sports teams.

Being a startup is more than just about business, it is also about being compassionate and being connected to the community; ultimately, we aim to give back to society. This is also a core value that we, at Statrys holds onto - supporting local sports and athletes. At Statrys, we are dedicated to contributing to our local sports community in Hong Kong. Earlier this year, we had the pleasure to support our local athletes - sponsoring our local badminton team: TW United, which has won a championship earlier in August this year.

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Take a Coffee Break

18 − Take a Coffee Break

Philanthropy

by IWA

THE ITALIAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION Promoting Charitable Giving Since 1996 Since 1996, the Italian Women’s Association (IWA) has been registered as a non-profit organization, committed to the mission of charitable giving. The Association endeavours to organize events and raise funds to help those in need, while connecting Italian women and those interested in the Italian language and culture and creating a sense of camaraderie.

Thanks to the voluntary work and the dedication of its board members and of its volunteers, IWA can devote 100% of its profits to charities in Hong Kong, Macao and beyond, to enable them to continue to support the underprivileged people.

The Association organizes activities such as social gatherings and cultural events, playgroups for children, walks, lectures and classes on different topics ranging from culture to nutrition, cooking, embroidering and yoga. These activities appeal to IWA members and friends of different nationalities, not only for their variety but also because they

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allow people to channel their financial contribution into positive social impact. If there is one thing that IWA is proud of is its mission in redistributing its proceeds to those in need. All this while building a community.

The Humble Beginning In 1983, a group of Italian women decided to embrace the cause of a couple who, following the tragic loss of their son, committed to supporting The Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital and its doctors, whose great professionalism and determination saw through the attempt to save the boy’s life.

This is how the idea of a fundraising event aimed at supporting the growth and development of the only paediatric hospital in Hong Kong at that time – specialised in the treatment of orthopaedic and neuro-degenerative diseases – took shape. It came from a group of women: the core of what will eventually become ‘The Italian Women’s Association’.

Over the years, IWA’s contribution went beyond the purchasing of medical

equipment. The Association also assisted with the restructuring of departments and provided funds to sponsor renowned specialists coming from around the world to lend their expertise in dealing with more difficult medical conditions. In particular, special support was given to children coming from disadvantaged families.

In order to succeed in its fundraising activities, the Italian Women’s Association has always been very close to people and their specific needs. In addition to donations, it also established a Charity Market, with the sponsorship of many Italian companies, which offered very high-quality goods.

How You Can Support IWA Anyone is welcome to join IWA: as a member, as a donor, or taking part in its events. IWA also constantly looks out for new proposals, from individuals and companies, to continue to organize exciting and engaging activities for the community. The more, the merrier, and more contributions will help our fundraising mission because every little bit helps.

Il Mercatino di IWA: A Market Day of Fun and Charitable Impact As the “mercato” (market) is central to everyday life in traditional Italian culture, so is the IWA’s annual charity market, which – in the past 37 years – has been known as “The Italian Day at Sandy Bay”, taking place on the first Saturday of December. The success of this event was due to the quality of the products available for purchase, donated mostly

by Italian companies, and to the hard work of the volunteers. A wide number of visitors attended the market, attracted not only by the Italian-style goods and delicious food on offer, but also by the friendly and festive atmosphere, and the opportunity to support IWA’s good causes.

include but are not limited to: Branches of Hope, Christian Action, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation, Home Care for Girls, Missionaries of Charity (Sisters of Mother Teresa), Missione Possibile, Mother’s Choice, Operation Santa Claus, Pathfinders, RainLily, St. Barnabas’ Society and Home, and The Society for the Relief of Disabled Children.

Changing Location But Not Purpose For the past 36 years, the Charity Markets have been traditionally held in the premises of the Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital, Sandy Bay Road, Pokfulam. In 2020, due to the COVID-19

pandemics, the event was cancelled. In 2021, with many restrictions on public gatherings still in place, IWA relocated the charity market to PMQ, the Police Married Quarters, now a hip arts-anddesign hub in Central.

IWA and its supporters are enormously grateful to PMQ for hosting the event. A special acknowledgement also goes to Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong, Sino Land Company Limited, Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao, the Ferrari Group, Gustaci, and Innotier, for their wholehearted support.

The Duchess of Kent Children’s Hospital is now under the management of the Hospital Authority, a governmental body.

However, help is still needed. Today, thanks to the money raised through IWA’s charity markets, the Association continues to assist the needy children and their families, while also extending its reach to a considerable number of other charities registered in Hong Kong, in support of women, children, elderly, domestic helpers and refugees. Beneficiaries

Philanthropy by IWA − 35

Philanthropy

by IWA

Despite the change of location, this year’s “Il Mercatino di IWA”, which was held on Sunday 14th of November, was nonetheless very successful and committed in its mission to support local charities and help the less privileged in Hong Kong. A beautiful sunny day, attractive products, generous sponsors, resourceful volunteers, and a large turnout of visitors contributed to raising nearly HK$800,000.

IWA and the charities that will receive these funds were overwhelmed with gratitude.

Il Mercatino was back and well attended by its community and aficionados and new visitors, in a celebration of goodwill, solidarity, and friendship.

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IWA accepted with great gratitude the honorary membership offered by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao. It will definitively help IWA to establish a collaborative relationship with the Chamber. Together we will be even stronger and able to help Hong Kong’s community, the city where we live in and that we all love, ever more!

For more information on the Italian Women’s Association, visit IWA website www.iwa.org.hk and social media, or write to secretary@iwa.org.hk 36 − Philanthropy by IWA

Business Focus

Net Zero by 2030: Be the Change with PwC

By Callum Douglas, Corporate Sustainability Director, PwC China Only immediate, robust and largescale greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions can slow down the accelerating pace of climate change impacts currently and in the future. While we can no longer avoid climate change - its impacts are now being experienced worldwide - there is a chance to limit the risks to manageable levels within the next decade with swift and ambitious action.

Net zero and carbon neutral commitments have been rapidly growing, providing

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some hope in the face of ever-growing urgent signs that climate change is speeding up and bringing with it a whole range of negative impacts. “30·60” is now a major focus in China. The country is committed to hit peak emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

China’s ambition will require companies to act now to transform to a lowercarbon business model. PwC’s research report with UNDP China revealed that Climate Action (SDG 13) is now ranked as the 4th highest impacting Chinese enterprises, including bringing business opportunities, over the next five years.

At PwC, we believe the business community has a key role to play in making that happen. That is why we have made a worldwide sciencebased commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The commitment includes supporting our clients to reduce their emissions as well as reducing those from PwC’s operations and suppliers. In July 2021, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated PwC’s targets to reduce GHG emissions by 50% in absolute terms from 2019 levels by 2030 in line with a 1.5 degree scenario. Importantly, PwC’s targets go beyond scopes 1 and 2 emissions to include PwC’s largest indirect scope 3 emissions.

Transforming to net zero will require businesses to develop and deliver research, guidance and implementable roadmaps. Many board of directors are now leading in transforming their business model towards net zero, including factoring in ESG considerations into key business decisions like venturing into new markets and new products.

PwC’s net zero commitment is not just about reducing carbon emissions from our own operations. We’re also encouraging our key suppliers to decarbonise and set their own science-based targets for emissions reductions, and incorporating climate change risks and opportunities into our thought leadership, policy work and client services.

There is no doubt that driving net zero will help companies reduce operating costs in the long term, but the most important driving force behind our ambition is about protecting all of our stakeholders from climate risks. The difference with climate change is we know what the impacts will be if we don’t act now. We know the costs are rising, and will continue to rise exponentially with every fraction of increased global temperatures. Managing climate and other environmental risks early, and embedding sustainability into business, is the only way to help sustain long-term viability.

Climate risk brings uncertainties to every business sector including the financial system. ESG is now a strategic priority for PwC China. Achieving our net zero 2030 goal requires sustained efforts internally to continually identify ways to reduce our operational emissions. Externally we continue to share knowledge and work with clients, suppliers, government and other partners to reach our shared vision.

By doing so we hope to amplify and accelerate a greener and sustainable economy where everyone can thrive.

PwC - Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR PwC Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR work together on a collaborative basis, subject to local applicable laws. Collectively, we have over 800 partners and more than 20,000 people in total.

qualified, experienced professionals listen to different points of view to help organisations solve their business issues and identify and maximise the opportunities they seek. Our industry specialisation allows us to help co-create solutions with our clients for their sector of interest.

We are located in these cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenyang, Tianjin, Dalian, Jinan, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Nanjing, Hefei, Suzhou, Wuxi, Wuhan, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Chongqing, Changsha, Kunming, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau, Haikou, Zhuhai and Guiyang.

www.pwchk.com

We provide organisations with the professional service they need, wherever they may be located. Our highly

Business Focus − 39

Business Focus

The Changing Workplace: Technogym solutions for Corporate Wellness In response to the adoption of a hybrid work mode by many companies, the Technogym Ecosystem proves to be the key to dealing with the new needs of workers and companies Without a doubt, the last year and a half have changed the way we think, in particular a reorganization of working time and space, caused by new regulations on social distancing. Companies all over the world have had to deal with the creation of a hybrid workplace, characterised by alternating employees going to the office and working from home.

In most cases, many companies will maintain a hybrid workplace even after the pandemic. While the introduction of agile working has revealed some positive aspects, we should not forget the importance of time spent in the office.

Social interaction, communication and confrontation enhance the psychophysical well-being of workers and, consequently, positive performances. In the increasingly competitive scenario of the modern business world, leading enterprises stand out from the competition not only for the quality of their products and the popularity of their brands, but also, and especially, for the worth of their human resources. Innovation is a key factor for development, implying the enhancement of the available human capital.

40 − Business Focus

The precondition for creativity and productivity is a healthy, well-trained body since physical and psychological wellbeing is closely linked. This is the reason why many international companies provide Corporate Wellness plans: complete programs to promote and protect health in the workplace, including special areas for physical exercise, nutritional plans and health care.

In order to ensure that employees maintain a healthy lifestyle and improve their quality of life, Technogym provides real company gyms, as well as no space solutions for in-company training, combined with digital solutions that allow workers to keep fit at home.

On top of that, Technogym’s product seamless connection with the Mywellness platform. This makes it easy for employees to track their workout results.

The use of Wellness Ball Active Sitting makes exercising within companies very easy. It is a real piece of exercise equipment that can be used as an alternative chair to strengthen muscle and improve balance, flexibility, coordination and posture. In addition, common areas can be converted into spaces for stretching, encouraging employees to take active breaks during the day to exercise to combat back pain and reduce stress.

WELLNESS ON THE GO When space is not an issue, Technogym’s Corporate Wellness programmes can transform company environments into professional gyms. The Artis Line impeccable biomechanics make it the safest and most effective answer to your corporate wellness needs. Its tablet-like interface makes it easy for employees to find the programme they want and keep working out with it, be it cardio or strength training. The needs of a robust corporate wellness programme can also be fitted in medium-size rooms perfectly. The energy of sports can be harnessed to the profit of your workforce: that’s what makes the Skill Line a perfect choice. Organising challenges among employees is the perfect antidote to a lack of commitment and motivation.

The Technogym Village, our Company’s headquarter and the first sample of Wellness Campus in the World, inspired the development of the Technogym Ecosystem: “Wellness on the go”. The Technogym Ecosystem, that includes equipment for physical exercise, a cloudbased platform and content, programs and mobile application for everyone to enjoy a personalised wellness experience anywhere, anytime. Thanks to Technogym, users can access their personalised program from Technogym equipment at their clubs, at home or at their corporate gym, and always have their personal data available via a mobile application.

digital platform for Wellness Lifestyle management. It ensures a dedicated environment and data security that offers an unprecedented service to companies and their employees, helping to improve the well-being of co-workers and reduce work absenteeism.

Technogym Technogym is a world-leading brand in products and digital technologies for fitness, sport and health for wellness.

Technogym offers a complete ecosystem of connected smart equipment, digital services, on-demand training experiences and apps that allow every single enduser to access a completely personalized training experience anytime and anywhere: at home, at the gym, on the go. Over 50 million people train with Technogym in 80,000 wellness centres and 500,000 private homes worldwide.

Technogym has been the Official Supplier of the last eight Olympic Games and it’s the brand of reference for sports champions and celebrities all over the world.

A key element of Technogym’s Corporate Solution is Mywellness, the one and only

Business Focus − 41

Talk of the Town

However, the flower production cost was eating up the donations, making it an issue for the practice. The fundraising activity therefore once again evolved, from selling paper flowers to paper flags. Corporates, which were entitled to specially designed paper flags, would usually show off the flags on their vehicles’ windscreens.

Flag Selling: Giving Back Like a Local The Editorial Board, ExplainerHK

Hong Kong has its very own way of charity fundraising. Instead of selling cookies, lemonade or offering car wash, most Hong Kong charities go for “flag-selling” on Saturday mornings. The “flag” is referring to a fingertip-sized paper sticker, not the flags flying on a pole. This paper sticker gives no economic value to the donors, but it illustrates the long history of charity fundraising in the city.

How it Started Back in the 1930s, Po Leung Kuk, one of the earliest local charities, started fundraising by selling paper flowers manually produced by their beneficiaries, who are mainly children and women. The paper flower was a successful launch.

A typical selling day could raise about HK$8,000 which was equivalent to 74 times the average annual salary of a female worker at the time.

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The Evolution: From Paper Flowers to Flags As paper flowers became a popular fundraising practice among many charitable organizations in the 1950s, the production of labour-intensive paper flowers by the beneficiaries could no longer catch up with the high demand.

Thus, charities started to commission factories to produce paper flowers. More types of flowers came to the market thanks to the professional workforce. The most basic flower was plum blossoms, folded in an ordinary plain textured paper. Institutions and socialites who donated a larger proportion may go for another more premium flower, which was usually roses folded in crepe paper.

While not everyone has a car, a spare pocket or a spare hand to show off a paper flag, some charities explored selling feathers instead of flags. Donors would receive a red chicken feather and they would pin it onto their clothes.

Unfortunately, some donors complained about the possibility of getting injured by the pin.

Eventually, adhesive flags became a common solution due to their low production costs, lightweight, and convenience to wear. The designs of the paper stickers could easily come in different shapes and colours. Having one of the customized charity stickers on your chest could perhaps help you get through a crowd of flag sellers for the rest of the day , saving their effort to ask for your donation.

A Bigger Impact Than It Seems A typical flag-selling day contains hundreds of volunteers, mainly primary and secondary school students, scattered around all parts of Hong Kong. On Saturdays, it is common to run into parents accompanying their kids to sell flags for charity. The fundraising exercise has become a part of moral education in Hong Kong, instilling the concept of charities to the young flag sellers.

Being one of the crowdest cities in the world, Hong Kong is lacking space for the youngsters to easily set up booths for selling cookies or lemonade on the street or parking lots. Selling paper stickers around the streets effectively serves as the community service 101 for the younger generation. They learn how to interact with strangers and the communities, how to handle rejections when donors say no or simply walk away from them.

The Rules Through the 80-year history of flag selling, the Government has developed a mature regulatory system. The Social Welfare Department sets out clear regulations and only allows licensed charities and NGOs to apply for flagselling. Qualified organisations can only sell flags once a year. The flag-selling time is limited to Saturday morning, usually from 7 am to 12:30 pm, and assigned to a charity by lottery. With the increasing number of charities, the government has also allowed flag selling on Wednesday morning in the summer.

Source: Inland Revenue Departmant

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“In the last two years, the Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong has been actively promoting the visual arts, a medium that, like music, can express meanings beyond the limit imposed by language.

Among our projects, “Design Made in Hong Kong” (designmadeinhongkong. com) and “Italians” (italianstylehongkong.com) allowed us to present the best of contemporary Italian creativity.

The project “FUSION”, an idea originated from artists Nicolas Bertoux and Cynthia Sah, and partially supported by the ICI Hong Kong and, takes the cultural dialogue deeper.

The collaboration between different artists, aiming to create artworks that are the common result of their creativity is a rare act of generosity and a unique aesthetic experience.

I hope our audience will enjoy the exhibition this year in Hong Kong and a major exhibition next year, which will be a part of the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism celebration program.”

Stefano Fossati Director Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong

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FUSION: a dialogue in the name of sculptures The sculptural creation and the material as instruments of dialogue and encounter between two far-away cultures: a basic but challenging idea that initiated FUSION, an artistic cultural project that builds a bridge between Seravezza and Hong Kong.

Launched last May, FUSION invited 10 artists, teamed up in pairs, to co-create sculptural works using the two materials that tell the story of their territory: white Carrara marble from the Apuan Alps and wood from Hong Kong . The end result of this exchange, sculptures born from a “fusion” of materials and ideas from distant worlds will be exhibited at the same time in Seravezza at the Arkad Foundation and at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!) in December 2021.

Art, Culture & Lifestyle

The project, curated by Silvia Vannacci (林嘉玉), is organised by two influential cultural institutions: the Arkad Foundation, a centre for the promotion of arts based in Seravezza, Tuscany, and the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!), that aims to arouse public interest in artistic creation and the enjoyment of art in Hong Kong. The Municipality of Seravezza and the Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong are partners of the project.

The Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong, the Terre Medicee Foundation, the Provinces of Lucca and Massa Carrara and a long list of other public and private bodies and institutions of the two territories assure their patronage.

“This year’s event is the first of a cycle that we intend to organise in creating a relationship with the Italian marble - in particular the white ones extracted from the quarries of the Apuan Alps - and other materials from all over the world: wood, that is featured in this edition, but also paper, metal, bamboo”, artists Nicolas Bertoux and Cynthia Sah (薩璨 如) of the Arkad Foundation claimed.

After creating their own piece, the artists exchanged their works in order to complete them on the basis of a shared artistic project and with their own reference material.

The ten works, five in marble and five in wood were previewed before and after the exchange in Arkad Foundation’s headquarters in a video conference with Hong Kong. The final reveal of the completed sculptures will be exhibited simultaneously in December 2021 at the Arkad Foundation gallery and at vA! While some parts of the sculptures will not be physically presented in the place of the exhibition, guests can appreciate the missing parts virtually, bringing the artworks together.

The organisers are planning a major exhibition - with all ten completed artworks to be presented together - and a series of artist residencies to be held in 2022, the Italy-China year of culture and tourism.

The sculptors involved in the FUSION project were selected by a panel of artists, curators, architects and operators from the art world. The Tuscany team includes Francesca Bernardini, Lorenzo Vignoli, Flavia Robalo, Jacob Cartwright and Aurélien Boussin; while the Hong Kong team includes Danny Lee Chin Fai (李展輝), Yaman Chau (周圓緣), Ho Yuen Leung (何遠良), Margaret Chu (朱卓慧) and Violet Shum (岑嘉慧).

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Exhibition Details: FUSION Cultural Exchange Seravezza - Hong Kong Exhibition in Hong Kong: Date: 8 December 2021 - 27 December 2021 Venue: vA! (Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre) Address: 7A Kennedy Road, Central, HK, China Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 10am - 9pm Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice Festival, Christmas Eve, New Year Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve: 10am - 5pm Closed on Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and the first three days of the Chinese New Year.

Exhibition in Seravezza: Date: 8 December 2021 - 12 February 2022 Venue: ARKAD Foundation Address: 289 Viale Leonetto Amadei, Seravezza, Italy Opening Hours: Every day: 10 - 12am — 4 - 7pm (on reservation) Closed on Christmas Eve, New Year Eve and Chinese New Year’s Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.

About FUSION Organizers The Fusion project is organized by the ARKAD Foundation, co-organized by the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vA!), in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong and the Municipality of Seravezza.

Italian Cultural Institute Hong Kong The Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong is part of a network of over 80 Italian Cultural Institutes worldwide. Alongside the Italian Cultural Institutes in Beijing and Shanghai, it is one of the three cultural agencies of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China.

The Institute of Hong Kong has been active since 2011 as the official Italian governmental body dedicated to promoting the Italian language and culture in Hong Kong and Macau. To this end, the Institute organises concerts, exhibitions, screenings, readings and other cultural events and it also encourages cultural and scientific collaboration between Italy and Hong Kong / Macau. It closely cooperates with the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong.

Website: https://iichongkong.esteri.it/iic_hongkong/en/

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Institutional Partners Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong, Terre Medicee Foundation, Tuscany Region, the provinces of Lucca and Massa e Carrara, the municipalities of Massa, Montignoso, Stazzema, Pietrasanta, Camaiore.

Partners Studio Artco Srl, Lucca Promos, The Lands of Giacomo Puccini, Sorma Srl, Sino Italian Design Exchange Center, Pro Loco Association, Contemporary Matters.

Arkad Foundation

Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

Arkad is a non-profit Foundation, founded in 2002 with the aim of creating an intercultural centre designed to promote artistic projects, help sculptors in creating works of art, promote and spread culture, especially plastic arts, organise professional training and welcome artists.

The Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre – vA! – is an open, multidirectional art space that focuses on art learning, research and exchange. It is a place where one can absorb the nutrients of art, enjoy opportunities to create art and let it transform your life.

The Foundation is housed within the structures of the ARTCO Studio, in the historic marble sawmill adjacent to the Medici Palace of Seravezza, located between the Apuan Alps and the Versilia plain.

The purpose of the Foundation is to organise exhibitions and events, train artists, transmit technical knowledge, encourage the encounter of artistic experiences in the broad field of contemporary art and connect internal activities with the main local and international artistic events.

Website: www.arkad.it IG: arkadfondazione FB: Fondazione ARKAD Email: info@arkad.it

With its specialised equipment, exhibition spaces and invigorating atmosphere, vA! is a journey of inspiration for anyone who wants to refine their skills and awaken the true artist within.

It is a journey of immersion and discovery that allows enthusiasts to experience the visual arts, gain artistic know-how, drive their creativity and push their boundaries by challenging themselves and exchanging ideas and experiences with others.

Situated in Hong Kong Park, vA! is housed in a Grade I historic building, originally called Cassels Block, which was built around 1900 as married quarters for British army officers. As a counterpart to its sister venue Oi!, also under the management of the Art Promotion Office, vA! expresses through its English name the excitement and surprise that art can bring.

Representing the horizontal axis, Oi! explores the possibilities of art experimentation by providing space for projects that can inspire creativity and engage the public, while vA! as the vertical axis provides art training for the public to further their artistic development.

Website: https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/APO/en_US/ web/apo/va_main.html IG: hongkongvisualartscentre FB: 香港視覺藝術中心 Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre

Follow us on your favourite social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram or Twitter - or subscrible to our YouTube channel to see some of our live events that you might have missed. facebook.com/iichongkong | instagram.com/italianculturalinstitute.hk twitter.com/IICHongKong | youtube.com/iichongkong To learn more about upcoming italian events you may contact: Italian Cultural Institute Suite 3201, 32/F Central Plaza 18, Harbour Road, Wanchai - Hong Kong www.iichongkong.esteri.it | iichongkong@esteri

Traditional Christmas Sweets A mouthwatering journey through Italy’s Christmas recipes

By Morello Pecchioli, Honorary Academician for Verona Is it sinfully gluttonous to enjoy Christmas sweets? Heaven forfend! A slice of pandoro with a snowy layer of confectioners’ sugar, a slab of panettone studded with raisins and candied fruits, or any other sweets is a blessing for the most wonderful time of the year, the delicious amen that brings the family closer. The Christ Child himself, in his manger, blessed those who offered the sweets to him. In front of the crib, the shepherd carried a doughnut, the farmer carried a basket of oven-fresh biscuits, and the housewife carried a flatbread wrapped in a warm cloth. Italy is famous for the ‘holy’ sweets, created in monastery kitchens between the ‘Personent hodie’ and the ‘Adeste Fideles’, they are cooked over the charcoal in the hearths. During Christmas, every family indulges the

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sugar in their doughs, shaping them into symbolic shapes, including stars, infants, huts and angels. This is how the “nadalìn of Verona”, the ‘ancestor’ of the pandoro was born.

Century after century, the Italian peninsula has been filled with biscuits on Christmas, torroni, panforte, pandolce, pandori, pan di Toni, pan degli angeli (‘angel bread’), cakes and doughnuts. Calabria is rich in Christmas sweets, mustazzuoli appeared alongside susumelle (honey biscuits), turdilli, fried gnocchi immersed in honey, and the venerable ancient pitta ccu passuli: a cake with raisins, walnuts, almonds, honey and spices. The name derives from the Greek pita, ‘flatbread’.

Interestingly, pitta ccu passuli has the same shape – a concentric series of roses – as the rose cake from Valeggio sul Mincio. It also has the same richness as the zrtuséin, also known as certosino or panspeziale. It was created in a monastery oven in Bologna. Similar to the Calabrian version, pitta calabra is a bread made up of honey, almonds, pine nuts, raisins and cinnamon. It contains no eggs, but only candied fruit and chocolate. The recipe of pitta calabra has been reconstructed and registered by the Academy.

Similar in terms of compactness, calories density and ingredients is the thousand

years old panforte from Siena. According to legend, a little boy had gone to the hut in Bethlehem to offer the Holy Infant all he had: bread and almonds. St Joseph blessed these gifts that later became the first panforte. In Siena, it is formerly known as panpepato (‘peppered bread’), and was reviewed by the flagging Sienese Ghibelline troops at the battle of Montaperti (1260) when they defeated a vastly superior Florentine Guelph army.

The original version of panpepato was prepared with medicinal substances, pepper, various spices, almonds, oranges, citrons and lemons as their doping. The citrus fruits gave the mixture an acidic taste, which was later renamed as panis fortis (‘strong bread’). The Christmas sweet from Siena underwent numerous tweaks over the centuries.

There are 17 ingredients in it, each one representing one of the city’s districts.

The Dominican nuns of Santa Caterina in Palermo are famous for their huge cannoli. Traditional sweets in Sicily include cobaita (honey, toasted almonds, sesame), mustazzoli (again!), sfinci that is frittered with honey, countless sweets with dried figs, Christmas cassata, and nucatili, a honey biscuit filled with hazelnuts and walnuts. Nucatili is particularly prized in Palermo, it has been prepared by the nuns of Santa Elisabetta since the 16th century.

Art, Culture & Lifestyle

The sweet couscous was first ‘baptised’ centuries ago by the nuns of the Great Abbey in Spirito Santo monastery in Agrigento. Nowadays, it is still prepared by them with the same method.

Not all Christmas sweets have religious roots, some of them are secular, for example, the parrozzo from Abruzzo.

Created by Luigi D’Amico, a pastry chef in Pescara nearly a century ago, it contains flour, starch, milk, sugar, eggs, minced almonds and orange peel. The cake is covered with piping hot dark chocolate.

Another example of secular ‘designer’ sweets is the anello di monaco (‘monk’s ring’) from Mantova. Invented in the late 18th century by Adolf Putscher, a Swiss pastry chef, the doughnut-shaped cake is covered with white glaze, reminiscent of a snow-covered volcanic crater;

the cake drew inspiration from the German kugelhupf.

The recipe of the classic Yule sweets from Trentino and Alto Adige, Zelten, is traceable to the 18th century. Zelten derives from selten meaning ‘rarely’: it was formerly prepared only once a year, for Christmas. Its ingredients vary from valley to valley, but the basic ones are the same: flour, yeast, eggs, sugar and butter.

Variants may include almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, raisins or candied citrus fruits.

cool. Mix 400g of flour, 60g of potato starch and a sachet of Italian ‘Delizia’ brand starch. Sift them twice and form a mound on the chopping board. Pour the cooled milk and lemon zest into the mix. Knead the ingredients together into a compact and firm dough and roll it out to approximately 2 millimetres thick.

Cut the dough to different shapes and bake in a medium-hot oven until they turn golden”.

The publication La Cucina Italiana (Italian Cooking) suggested in the 30s, a recipe for “sanction” biscuits: “You can make excellent, substantial, nutritious, flavoursome and crumbly biscuits of higher quality than English biscuits in your own homes. Melt 100g of butter in a quarter-litre of hot milk and allow it to

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina has been present in Hong Kong since 2012.

The Delegation is headed by Mr Savio Pesavento and welcomes new members, individuals who are passionate about food and knowledgeable about Italian cuisine. www.facebook.com/accademiaitalianadellacucinahongkong

Dante’s Word of Mouth On the occasion of the 700th Anniversary of the father of the Italian language, Dante Alighieri, we want to continue honouring him by presenting the famous Italian expressions that came straight from “Dante’s mouth”. This year, we are indeed commemorating his death, but it is important to note his ongoing influence on the way we talk. Keep on discovering with us the intriguing origins of Dante Alighieri’s immortalised expressions that we have inherited and are still present in our everyday conversations.

In the previous editions, we have mentioned the pivotal role that Dante

Alighieri had, and still has nowadays, in gifting and enriching the beautiful Italian language with words and expressions that we all, often “unconsciously”, still use. We have seen and analysed expressions such as: “Stai Fresco” - you can go whistle for it/Stay cool, “Il Bel Paese”- The beautiful country/Italy, “Cosa fatta capo ha”- What is done is done, “Non mi tange” – I don’t care, “Galeotto fu” – It was Galehaut… and many others.

So now, to prove how immense his legacy is, let us continue with our third series of Dante Alighieri’s word of mouth!

“ WELCOME BACK ALL FROM DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY HONG KONG! ” 50 − Art, Culture & Lifestyle

Art, Culture & Lifestyle

Let us begin with one of the most popular expressions that we, Italians, use every day. It is also one of the first phrases our students learn: “Passeggiare”: “Si` passeggiando l’alta selva vota, colpa di quella ch’al serpente crese, temprava i passi un’angelica nota,” translated as “So passing through the vacant lofty forest / By fault of her who in the serpent trusted / Angelic music made our steps keep time” from Canto XXXII of Purgatorio.

This chapter takes place at the top of the Purgatory Mountain, where the souls of those in the Purgatory are ready for purification before entering Paradise. The verb “passeggiare” used by Dante describes the procession of the soul walking around the terrestrial Paradise, empty due to the Original Sin. Today, we use the verb “passeggiare” or “fare una passeggiata” with the meaning of having a “relaxing walk”.

“Intoppare”, with the literal translation as “to cause a violent impact”. It is an expression from Canto VII of Inferno, “Come fa l’onda là sovra Cariddi, che si frange con quella in cui s’intoppa, così convien che qui la gente riddi,” translated as “as the wave does upon Charybdis / That breaks itself on that which it encounters / So here the folk must dance their roundelay.”

Dante is comparing the coexistence of the greedy and lavish souls in the Inferno (opposite sins), like the violent impact of the waves caused by Scilla and Cariddi (Scylla and Charybdis, two sea monsters in Greek mythology). Today, the expression is used as the noun “intoppo” to describe an unexpected event or obstacle.

Let’s continue with a very notable expression: “Degno di nota” translated as “noteworthy”. “Ma dimmi, de la gente che procede, se tu ne vedi alcun degno di nota; che solo a ciò la mia mente rifiede.” - “But tell me of the people who are

passing / If any one note-worthy thou beholdest / For only unto that my mind reverts.” We are in Canto XX of Inferno, Dante asks Virgilio if there is someone among the fortunetellers who is “degno di nota”, that deserves his consideration.

“Degno di nota” has the figurative meaning of something you consider very interesting that will stick in your mind. Today, we use the expression with the same meaning as Dante used.

“Inoltrarsi”, literally “going beyond” from Canto XXI of Paradise: “[…] però che s’innoltra ne lo abisso/ de l’etterno statuto quel che chiedi, che da ogne creata vista è scisso,” translated as “what you ask goes beyond God’s divine plan to be impossible for you to understand.” This expression is the origin of how the verb “inoltrare” was invented, meaning “to forward” as in forwarding an email.

“Rogna” literally translates to “scabies”, a contagious skin disease caused by parasitic mites. From Canto XVII of Paradise, “e lascia pur grattar dov’è la rogna” is interpreted as “let other people mind their own problems and issues.” Today, the expression “rogna” is used to describe a big problem or bad thing.

“Quatto quatto”: “E ‘l duca mio a me: O tu che siedi tra li scheggion del ponte quatto quatto, sicuramente ormai a me ti riedi.” “And unto me my Guide: “O thou, who sittest Among the splinters of the bridge crouched down, Securely now return to me again.” From Canto XXI of Inferno, Dante is among those who exploited their prestigious role and jobs to illegally make more money and while they were being tortured, Virgilio suggests Dante hide himself to observe the scene without being noticed. Nowadays, this expression is used with the same meaning. …You are now ready to go for a “passeggiata” and speak like Dante Alighieri! Don’t forget to practice these fascinating words and expressions with your Italian friends!

For information on how to improve your Italian or learn it from scratch, you may contact: DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY HONG KONG Room 702, 7/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong ladante.cc | dantealighieri@ladante.cc

What’s on Hong Kong

Auguri di buone feste a tutti!

Lia Campiglio Born in Piemonte, a small town in the countryside of Italy, Lia Campiglio moved to Venice to study Mandarin at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. After living and studying abroad in Barcelona, Beijing and Nanjing. In 2012, she decided to leave Italy and work in a competitive setting, Hong Kong. Lia is currently working at the Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong, organizing cultural events related to Italian culture, arts and lifestyle. Apart from work, she enjoys discovering the wonders of Southeast Asia.

The cold and shortened days are getting closer, lights sparkle in the streets, and Christmas trees appear in the cities’ main squares. As the holiday vibration is perceived, the Christmas atmosphere is becoming real and even more enchanting in the Bel Paese since this holiday is one of the most important ones in the country.

Although there are some common traits, the magic of Natale is different all over the world!

The holiday season in Italy is well known for its mercatini di Natale (Christmas markets) decorated with wonderful stalls crammed with handicrafts, regional delicacies, and wines, such as the famous vin brule’ (mulled wine) to warm guests up.

Christmas festivities focus on the family: people head to their hometowns

SAI COME DICEVA MIA MAMMA CHRISTMAS WITH THE YOURS EASTER WHAT YOU WANT...

(As my mum used to say, spend Christmas with your family and Easter with whoever you want) Christmas with the yours, a song by Elio e le Storie Tese

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to celebrate with their loved ones.

Meanwhile, light displays and Christmas markets pop up throughout the country, and children look forward to the start of the festive season.

The Christmas season is usually celebrated over several weeks, starting from December 8th, the date of Immaculate Conception of Mary - when many Italian families decorate their homes and trees, bake cookies, and wrap presents, up to December 26th, when the atmosphere gets even merrier.

Decorations and Christmas trees are displayed on the streets, presepi (Nativity scenes) are placed outside churches and public squares, and the festive smell of chestnuts, mulled wine, and seasonal delicacies are everywhere.

Christmas day and Vigilia di Natale (Christmas Eve) are observed in different ways all over the country: some Italians start celebrating with a nice dinner on December 24th, while others prefer a light meal and wait for a huge Christmas lunch on the 25th. However, the midnight Mass at the local church is an important tradition from the North to the South. After this gathering, the festivity commences for real: it’s time to brindare (make a toast) with a glass of spumante, and eat a slice of panettone and pandoro. Children,

excited by Babbo Natale (Santa)’s arrival, put a glass of milk, biscuits, or a slice of cake under the tree to thank him for the gifts.

The joy of this festive time rises on December 25th, the perfect occasion to meet up with your parents and family members, sit around the table - almost all day long, no joking! - and enjoy a delicious menu. After all the good cheer of this day, the festivities go on: December 26th, Santo Stefano (Boxing) day, represents another occasion to gather with your loved ones and taste more homemade specialties.

Please be aware that… Celebrations are not over yet! After these three days of merrymaking, the next date is December 31st, another opportunity to meet with friends and families and have a big party all night long. Notte di San Silvestro or Capodanno (New Year’s Eve) usually starts in the evening with the traditional cenone (big dinner) followed by a crazy party to welcome the anno nuovo (new year)! During the New Year’s Eve dinner, eating the right food to have good luck, such as cotechino (pork sausage), lenticchie (lentils), and uva (grapes), is very important.

Approaching the last day of the year does not mean that the holiday season is over: all these jolly habits last until January 6th, il giorno della Befana (Epiphany day).

According to Italian folklore, children wait for the Befana, an old witch who arrives on a broomstick to fill kids’ stockings with sweets, chocolate, or a lump of coal for those who have been naughty throughout the year.

Christmas might not be a typical Chinese holiday, but the festive season is quickly approaching Hong Kong, too!

Hongkongers will soon be able to spot Christmas lights and trees all over the city, shop for Christmas trees and gifts, and enjoy great food.

Getting fancier year by year, the Christmas decorations and lights will make their way in shopping malls, hotels, theme parks, and plazas right after Halloween displays. As many buildings on the Victoria harbourfront are extravagantly decorated, the Christmas lights are one of the best attractions of this season.

While 2021 has meant that things will be looking a little different than in previous years, a great number of Christmas events in Hong Kong will be organized…

What are you waiting for?!?

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What’s on Hong Kong

DEC 2-5 White Christmas Street Fair Swire Properties will magically transform Tong Chong Street into “Santa’s Whimsical Factory”, where you’ll find food, craft beer, and special performances and events. All the proceeds will go towards the annual fundraising campaign Operation Santa Claus to support local charities.

IF YOU LIKE MERCATINI DI NATALE… DEC 12 & 19 Discovery Bay Sunday Market Shop local! Organized by Handmade Hong Kong, the Christmas edition of Discovery Bay Sunday Market supports local businesses with a wide selection of handmade, one-of-akind, and crafted products and locally-made goods.

DEC 11-27 Stanley Plaza Christmas Market 2021 Stanley’s annual seaside Christmas market supports small businesses and hosts vendors offering a festive array of seasonal treats, festive crafts, holiday gifts, and festive food.

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DEC 3-4 A Magical Nighttime Symphony with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra For the first time ever, the HK Phil will present popular Disney songs alongside Christmas classics in front of the majestic Castle of Magical Dreams at Hong Kong Disneyland.

IF YOU LIKE CONCERTS & LIVE EVENTS… DEC 11-26 The Hong Kong Ballet: The Nutcracker Set to Tchaikovsky’s iconic music with live accompaniment by the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, The Nutcracker, set in early 20th century Hong Kong, will feature a fusion of local historical characters, charming wildlife, and Hong Kong traditions.

DEC 23-24 Hong Kong Philharmonic: Christmas Fantasia The Hong Kong Children’s Choir and Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus, together with the HK Phil will offer to the audience a beautiful program of sacred and secular music in a Christmas Fantasia at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The program will feature Tchaikovsky, melodies of Handel’s Messiah, and tuneful treats from around the world.

DEC 30 Hong Kong Philharmonic: A Viennese New Year Join this concert to toast the new year humming on melodies that never get old: from Viennese waltzes and sparkling polkas to Spanish, French and British songs. A great selection of Hong Kong favourites will not be missed too!

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Back to Work Networking Cocktail @Paper moon

Past Events

September 9, 2021 As the summer holiday came to a close, our Members kicked start the final quarter of the year at Paper moon. The mesmerizing location of Paper moon offered our guests the chance to enjoy a unique golden hour by the Victoria Harbour while they mingled with old friends and network with new friends.

TRUE ITALIAN TASTE – Authentic Italian Retailer’s Award Ceremony September 24, 2021 The Authentic Italian Retailer’s Award Ceremony is a dedicated event within the project True Italian Taste, organised as part of the campaign “The Extraordinary Italian Taste”. Giorgia Norfo, Consul of Italy in Hong Kong and Ivano Poma, President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao awarded trophies to store representatives of authentic and certified Italian agri-foods. Awardees had the opportunity to introduce themselves by showcasing a range of Italian products that are sold in their stores.

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Past Events

TRUE ITALIAN TASTE Pasta Masterclass September 29, 2021 Organized within the project True Italian Taste, part of the campaign “The Extraordinary Italian Taste”, Pasta Masterclass promoted the origin of the authentic Italian Pasta Mancini. Our guests discovered how pasta can be paired to recreate the best Italian pasta dishes. Italian executive chef Valentino Ugolini, from CIAK - In The Kitchen showcased how to create 2 different Primi, featuring all authentic Italian excellence.

In the Mood to Mingle - Italian and Spanish Get-together October 19, 2021 The Italian Young Professional committee, together with the Spanish Young Professional Committee organised their first joint networking event at Grappa’s Cellar. They enjoyed the night of connection with savoury canapes and drinks, a few lucky Young Professionals even won some Mediterranean delicacies at the end of the evening.

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Wine Tasting Night Hidden Gems from South of Italy October 21, 2021 In collaboration with the Chamber’s F&B Committee, our guests discovered the hidden treasures from the southern regions of Italy, landmarks of outstanding but lesser-known wineries. They enjoyed an authentic taste of Mediterranean excellence at Conrad Hong Kong, including the outstanding “Donnafugata” and the great Varvaglione.

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Past Events

The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network: Macro Trends Outlook for China and Hong Kong November 4, 2021 The Chamber, in collaboration with The Economist Intelligence Corporate Network hosted an insightful afterwork talk. Annie Chiou, Director of The Economist Corporate Network in Hong Kong presented the macro trends outlook for China and Hong Kong with data and research conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and The Economist Corporate Network (ECN). Our guests had the opportunity to network with each other and share their visions on the matter with canepés and cocktails.

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Vermouth Masterclass November 15, 2021 In collaboration with the F&B Committee, the masterclass introduced the fundamental ingredient of traditional Italian Aperitivo, Vermouth. Jonny Amir, Beverage Director of Lan Kwai Fong Group introduced the origins and typical features of Vermouth. Simone Rossi, Beverage Manager at DarkSide of Rosewood Hotel demonstrated 3 original cocktails with Vermouth for our guests to taste the authentic spirits.

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Past Events

Cooking Class: The Art of Pizza Making November 22, 2021 The cooking class took place during the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World in November 2021, a special event within the Italia Mia Festival. Our guests discovered the secrets of different Italian pizzas, including the ingredients and different cooking processes. Chef Angelo d’Ambrosio from Gustaci Pizzalounge showcased how to prepare a Pizza Margherita and guided our guests in making their own pizza with their creativity and fresh Italian ingredients in Boffi | de Padova Showroom. Through this event, we share the art of pizza making with a broader audience in Hong Kong with live streaming.

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