YMCA Kicks Off 125th Anniversary to Connect the Community Through Basketball
Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong (YMCA) held the “YMCA 125th Anniversary Opening Ceremony cum Hoops with you Carnival” at Olympian City on 23 May, marking a major milestone in our 125-year history of serving the city and officially launching a year of celebrations. The event drew a large crowd, creating a lively atmosphere that highlighted the YMCA’s power to connect the community and bring different generations together through the spirit of basketball.
We held "YMCA 125th Anniversary Opening Ceremony cum Hoops with you Carnival" at Olympian City to start a year of celebratory events.
Several government officials and Legislative Council members joined Stanley from popular Boy band MIRROR and YMCA representatives to officiate the
" YMCA 125th Anniversary Opening Ceremony ".
The ceremony was officiated by a number of distinguished guests, including Dr. the Hon. Starry Lee, GBS, JP, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and President of the Legislative Council; the Hon. Jasper Tsang, GBM, GBS, JP, former President of the Legislative Council; Mr Chen Ziming, Division Head of the Social Work Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; the Hon Grace Chan, Member of the Legislative Council; Mr. Ho Kai Ming, JP, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare; and Mr. Stanley Yau, a member of the popular Boy band MIRROR. They were joined by Mr. Joshua Yau, our Honorary President and Chairman of the 125th Anniversary Organising Committee; Dr. Arnold Cheng, our President; and Mr. Johnny Wong, our General Secretary. The officiating guests witnessed YMCA embarking on its next chapter and emphasised the importance of sportsmanship in connecting generations.
Dr. Arnold Cheng said, “YMCA will continue to leverage its unique strengths of being ‘rooted in Hong Kong, backed by strong national support and a high degree of global connectivity’, to foster positive values and a sense of social responsibility among young people through diverse platforms in sports, education and community services.” Two of the officiating guests also delivered speeches, affirming the YMCA’s long-standing contributions to Hong Kong. Dr. the Hon. Starry Lee commended the YMCA’s youth volunteer services, noting that they clearly demonstrate a strong commitment to serving the community. Mr. Jasper Tsang remarked that, as Hong Kong integrates into the overall development of the nation, the YMCA has strengthened its exchange programmes with the Mainland, encouraging young people to better understand Chinese culture, history and the latest developments, and to seize the opportunities arising from national development.
A major highlight of the event was the “Hoops IQ Challenge”, an interactive session where Stanley from MIRROR joined young participants in a fun basketball quiz, electrifying the crowd. Stanley also signed a 125th-anniversary commemorative basketball and jersey. These autographed items were displayed at the venue alongside two basketballs signed by legendary national players and jerseys from Hong Kong basketball stars, which became a standout attraction.
The public enthusiastically joined in at the interactive basketball booths, showing great energy and engagement.
Retro basketball exhibits were set up at the venue, looking back at the YMCA’s history of promoting local basketball development since 1918 and showcasing its deep-rooted sporting heritage.
The “YMCA Hoops with you 125th Anniversary Carnival” followed the ceremony, running from 23 to 25 May, featuring a variety of basketball-themed interactive games that challenged participants’ reaction time, shooting accuracy, and physical power, attracting people of all ages. The carnival also included special photo installations and retro basketball exhibits showcasing YMCA’s history, including how it established the city’s first indoor sports venue with basketball court back in 1918. These displays gave the public a deeper understanding of the close ties between the sport and our youth services.
Hong Kong freestyle football performer Lyson Sze put on a live performance at the event.
Renowned basketball coach Bear Liang was on hand to share his top tips and inspire a positive mindset.
By bringing together sport, history, and community engagement, the kick-off event not only showcased our success in promoting holistic development but also officially launched our 125th anniversary celebrations. Over the next six months, a series of activities—including basketball and volleyball tournaments, a long-distance run, and an international symposium on mental health, will be rolled out to support the community’s physical and mental well-being.
For more information, please visit the YMCA 125th Anniversary webpage: https://ymca.org.hk/125anniversary
Join us for the 125th Anniversary "Exchange a Blessing" Campaign
The list of winners for our 125th Anniversary “Moments of Happiness: Light & Shadow” Photo Contest has now been announced. All winning entries have been uploaded to our official 125th Anniversary webpage, sharing these precious, heart-warming, and story-filled moments with the public.
The 11 winning photos from the Children & Youth and Open categories have been beautifully designed and printed as blessing cards. This initiative extends the touching sentiments from the images into everyday life, allowing blessings to be passed on. From 1 June to 31 July, you are welcome to visit any of our social service units to collect a blessing card. Simply write your heartfelt wishes, upload a photo of the card to your personal Facebook or Instagram with the designated hashtags #YMCA #青年會 #YMCA125 #青年會125周年, and you will receive a complimentary gift of artisanal floral tea or a keyboard fidget (available on a first-come, first-served basis, while stocks last).
In addition, the campaign features a special “Message Card Wooden Rack”. Participants can visit the installation and exchange a card they have personally written for another message card, handwritten by someone else. This is a chance to connect through the written word, share a sense of mutual happiness, and allow blessings to spread within the community.
The Cityview Continues to Champion Employee Well-being and Cultivate a Positive Work Culture
The Cityview has once again been recognised as a “Happy Company” in 2026 by Promoting Happiness Index Foundation, marking over a decade of receiving this honour, a testament to its sustained commitment to promoting employee well-being and fostering a positive work culture.
The Cityview is dedicated to enhancing employee benefits and improving the work environment, actively introducing intelligent management models to boost team efficiency. At the same time, the hostel focuses on cultivating a corporate culture that embodies care, wisdom, resilience, and motivation, so that employees can find a sense of achievement, happiness, and long-term development opportunities in their roles.
Looking ahead, The Cityview will continue to work hand in hand with its employees to build a more cohesive and sustainable working environment, putting its people-centric management philosophy into practice.
Using Video Games as a Common Language to Strengthen Family Bonds
On 26 April, our Family Social Work Working Group released a survey report on “Promoting Family Connection Through Parent-Child Co-playing of Video Games”. The results revealed that families who play video games together (“co-playing families”) scored significantly higher in family relationships and intimacy compared to those who do not. Notably, “co-playing families” showed statistically significant advantages in areas such as “emotional connection and support”, “mutual trust”, “communication”, “mutual understanding”, “cooperation”, and “respect”. The findings have garnered widespread media attention, resulting in over 20 interviews and reports from outlets including am730, Oriental Daily News, Ta Kung Pao, South China Morning Post, and RTHK Radio 1 programme “Millennium Era and RTHK Radio 3 programme “Backchat”.
The Family Social Work Working Group recommends that parents shift their role from being one-way “monitors” to active “participants”. By proactively entering their children’s gaming world and helping select appropriate content, parents can transform “co-playing” into a valuable opportunity to build trust, foster communication, and enhance companionship. At the press conference, Mr. Wong, a father of three, shared his personal experience. He explained that he connects with his children through sports games and even uses in-game spending as a teachable moment for financial education, teaching his children about saving and taking responsibility for their spending decisions, putting the principle of learning through play into practice.
To further deepen parents’ understanding of the research, the Family Social Work Working Group and the Counselling Unit’s Project 404 jointly held an online seminar on 9 May titled “Objection Overruled: How to Understand the Inner World of Children Glued to Their Screens—A Seminar for Parents and Carers”. The event delved into why children can seem inseparable from their devices, how they fulfil psychological needs in the online world, and how to rebuild deeper parent-child connections in the digital age, walking alongside our children on their journey.
Full details of the survey can be downloaded from our website:
https://ymca.org.hk/2026/04/26/research260426/
YMCA Delegation Attends the 80th Anniversary Celebrations of Metropolitan YMCA Singapore
In early April, Dr. Arnold Cheng, our President, and Mr. Johnny Wong, General Secretary, led a delegation of Executive Committee members and staff representatives to attend the 80th Anniversary celebrations of Metropolitan YMCA Singapore, fostering exchange and cooperation between the two associations.
The itinerary was extensive where the delegation participated in a thanksgiving service and a celebration dinner, conducted a site visit to the latest service facilities at M.Y World Preschool, and attended a discussion forum and the launch ceremony for the Social Hub. During the visit, the delegation also engaged in in-depth exchanges with YMCA partners from Chinese Mainland and overseas to learn about the latest trends in local social services and explore potential opportunities for collaboration.
In the field of professional education, Ms. Jessica Leung, Principal of our Chinese YMCA Kwai Chung Kindergarten, participated in the 5th M.Y World Education Forum. She shared insights and exchanged ideas with fellow education professionals on digital and intelligent transformation and innovative teaching practices, facilitating the exchange of professional knowledge.
Through this visit, the delegation gained a deep understanding of the local development models for early childhood services and innovative educational practices, providing a valuable reference for our organisation to enhance our services and curriculum design in the future. The trip not only strengthened the ties between the two YMCAs but also provided new inspiration for service development.
First Cohort of Instructors Graduate from the GBA "Sport Therapy Pilot Scheme for Children with SEN"
Under the framework of our “Connecting Hearts” Greater Bay Area social service projects, the ” Sport Therapy Enhancement Project for Special Educational Needs Children” initiated by us is progressing steadily. From April to June, trial classes were launched in Guangzhou, allowing trainees to apply their knowledge in a practical setting by providing sport support services to children with SEN.
The participants successfully completed the inaugural instructor training in Guangzhou in March and passed their assessments.
The training was conducted over two weekends by four of our professional colleagues from Hong Kong, including an occupational therapist, a registered social worker, and trainers from our STEP (Sport Therapy Enhancement Project). They delivered a four-day intensive programme to eight trainees, who were selected by the YMCA of Guangzhou. The group included their staff, long-term volunteers, and members of the public, all sharing a strong passion for supporting children with SEN.
Trainees particularly appreciated the course’s detailed explanations of activity design and how to interpret children’s responses. During the assessment sessions, they also had the opportunity to observe each other’s creative teaching methods, and deepened their practical understanding combined with professional feedback from the instructors. The training not only nurtured specialist skills but also highlighted the long-term value of Guangdong-Hong Kong collaboration in advancing professional social services.
As city dwellers who often work overtime and frequently perform repetitive motions, we are more susceptible to joint pain or sports injuries that can affect our quality of life. The Association’s Health Care Professions Department is launching a regular monthly column and publishing short articles about self-care. Topics covered will include arthritis, joint pain and self-healing. For more detailed health-related information, please visit our website: hcp.ymca.org.hk or call 2783 3616for inquiries.
Piriformis Stretching Guide – Discovering Its Secret
The piriformis muscle is located deep in the buttock. When it becomes tight or swollen due to prolonged sitting, over-exercise, or other reasons, it can compress the nearby sciatic nerve. This leads to sharp pain or numbness in the buttock and thigh – a condition known as Piriformis Syndrome.
To relieve discomfort, stretching exercise can be performed to relax the muscle (hold each stretch for 30 seconds, 3 times daily). Although the piriformis primarily functions in turning the thigh outward, it surprisingly changes its function to assist in turning the thigh inward when the hip joint bends beyond 60 degrees. Therefore, common effective stretching methods include:
1. Stretching in sitting position: Sit upright. Place one ankle on the opposite knee. Lean your body forward and gently press down on the raised knee with your hand.
2. Stretching in lying position: Lie on your back with knees bent. Place one ankle on the opposite knee. Clasp your hands behind the thigh of the supporting leg and gently pull it towards your chest.
125th Anniversary Commemorative Video | Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village
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