Talk of bringing the Gay Games to Hong Kong started in 2019 but was quickly put to a halt amidst the pandemic. With the city finally opening up, the games are confirmed to make its way to Hong Kong this November. This marks the first time the Gay Game will take place in Hong Kong in its 40-year history. The event, set to take place between 3 and 11 November, will be jointly hosted with Guadalajara, Mexico.
Themed "Unity in Diversity" the focus of this 11th edition of the game will be on promoting unity and inclusion.
The Gay Games principles of "Participation, Inclusion, and Personal BestTM" ensure that everyone above 18 is welcome to participate, with no pre-selection criteria for any events. The registration fee is HK$1500 (US$193) plus competition fees for specific sports. To ensure inclusivity, GGHK is offering 1,000 fee waivers for anyone under 25, as well as migrant workers, domestic helpers, and minorities, on a first-come-first-served basis.
GGHK co-chair Alan Lang shared his excitement at a press conference, "For the first time in history, the Gay Games are being held in Asia, a region that covers more than half the world's population. These partnerships are a testament to the growing recognition and support for GGHK, and they provide a platform to raise awareness about the positive impact of sports on our lives and the economy," he says.
In the past, the games have featured sports ranging from basketball, beach volleyball, cycling, and diving to figure skating, ice hockey and martial arts. The Hong Kong Games has partnered with 12 sports entities in the city to provide support, volunteers and venues for the various sporting events.
Among the participating organisations include Hong Kong University, Victoria Recreation Club, and the Hong Kong Football Club. There will be some uniquely Hong Kong sporting and cultural events, too, at the game, including dragon boat racing at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association at Sha Tin Shing Mun River as well as a mahjong tournament.
The Gay Games were conceived by Dr Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, in 1982 in San Francisco. The event aims to promote equality and social change for LGBTQ+ people through the quadrennial sports and culture event. Since its inception, the Gay Games have been held in San Francisco, Vancouver, New York, and Sydney, among other cities, with the most recent games in Paris in 2018. More than 10,000 participants from 91 countries and 3000 volunteers participated in the 36 sports and 14 cultural events in Paris.
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