Pauline Yeung 楊寶蓮 ポーリーン∙ヤン 양보련

Korea, Europe and You (KEY) is an international think tank and action-oriented platform that works with global partners to foster convergence between Korea and Europe, bringing together leaders and innovators from business, culture, academia, and the public sector. Under the leadership of Founding President Philippe Li, KEY develops concrete initiatives, pursues cross-regional collaboration, and co-creates sustainable and future-oriented solutions. The Hong Kong Chapter of KEY highlights Hong Kong’s role as a cultural and intellectual bridge between Asia and Europe, advancing KEY’s mission through events that encourage critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding, and collaborative innovation.

The inaugural KEY Debate in Hong Kong is an invitational debate between the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Student debaters will be asked to draw on examples and case studies from Korea and Europe in a debate on Hong Kong's cultural innovation, relating their arguments to Hong Kong’s own cultural, economic, and policy contexts. The winning team will be invited to join a study tour to Seoul before coming back to Hong Kong to share their experience with local students.

Founded by Pauline Yeung in 2024, KnitKnot Global (KKG) is a consulting company with business lines in finance and innovation, family business and family office, and talent cultivation and development. Pauline's vision is to continue bringing people from different walks of life together for connection and community, not unlike embroidery, and to use words to weave together tapestries that tell compelling stories. In recent years, Pauline has worked with central banks, financial institutions, business schools, prominent families, and start-ups and entrepreneurs, bridging diverse cultures, building resilient networks, advising innovative initiatives, engaging in Track II diplomacy, and serving as a thought leader in global soft power.  

The inaugural KEY Debate in Hong Kong is the brainchild of Pauline Yeung, Audrey Chow, and Hau In Tang - three alumni of the Sing Tao Interschool Debating Competition - who were each awarded Grand Champion and Best Debater in the English section of the competition in different years. The trio met when Pauline served as a judge in the competition and was part of the panel that awarded Audrey and Hau In their debating accolades. With the support of Sing Tao as media partner, the team is committed to promoting a culture of constructive debate and dialogue in Hong Kong while encouraging debaters to articulate insights from overseas examples and case studies. Their mission is to promote excellence in debating and cultural and knowledge exchange in the spirit of the original Sing Tao Interschool Debating Competition that all three of them participated in when they were secondary school students. 

Founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Joung Hwan Kwak and his wife, Yang Won Sun, the Yang Won Sun Foundation promotes global understanding, guided by its vision to “Bring Down Walls and Connect the World.” Based in Hong Kong, the Foundation’s mission is to deepen understanding of Korea and advance Korean culture on a global stage through art, education, and community-driven initiatives.

With programs spanning Hong Kong, Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, several European countries, as well as Ethiopia and Brazil, the Foundation has supported Korean Studies at the University of Hong Kong and at universities across Europe and beyond, alongside exhibitions showcasing Korean diaspora artists. Its cultural exchange initiatives, rooted in Korean heritage, also include taekwondo programs for youth and a Hangeul Design Competition—demonstrating how Korean culture can inspire creativity and connection across diverse communities.

Reflecting the spirit of the KEY Debate, the Yang Won Sun Foundation exemplifies how rooted heritage and contemporary dialogue can work together to bridge cultures and foster lasting empathy. The Foundation is proud to sponsor the YWS Foundation Prize for Best Analysis of Korean Soft Power.

Dr. Chloe Suen firmly believes in the transformative power of the arts to inspire and improve lives. As Chair of the Simon Suen Foundation, she has dedicated herself to promoting, preserving, and advancing Chinese arts, culture, and heritage. Through scholarships, mentorship, and a variety of initiatives, she has created opportunities for young talents to flourish and contribute to Hong Kong’s evolving cultural landscape.

In 2015, Dr. Suen founded the Sun Museum, Hong Kong’s first non-profit, non-governmental art museum open to the public. The museum has since become a vibrant cultural exchange hub, presenting thematic exhibitions, educational programs, and publications that connect Chinese traditions with contemporary perspectives. With 60 exhibitions to date, the Sun Museum embodies Dr. Suen’s vision of making art accessible to all and fostering dialogue across communities and generations.

Committed to public service, Dr. Suen has also contributed to advisory committees and boards across Hong Kong. She is keen to support the inaugural KEY Inaugural Debate in Hong Kong because it resonates with her lifelong mission to deepen mutual understanding through constructive dialogue. She will be sponsoring the Dr. Chloe Suen Prize for Best Analysis of Chinese Culture. 

Founded by Rita and KC Kung in 2008, Mystic Island Winery is dedicated to fostering development in a newly established premium wine district in Penglai, Shandong Province, China, with the mission of creating job opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to stay in their hometowns and build their families.

For the couple, winemaking is an art form that thrives on the intricate interplay between soil and climate each year. Mystic Island Winery harnesses these natural elements and provides a platform for diligent exploration and collaboration where local talents and wine experts from Canada and New Zealand craft exceptional wines that reflect the essence of the wine district.

In a 17-year journey, wine and gastronomy at Mystic Island have emerged as powerful vessels for cross-cultural exchange and knowledge sharing, fostering a community of students, workers, and wine enthusiasts who share their ideas, experiences, and emotions. The KEY Debate and the Mystic Island Prize for Best Cross-cultural Analysis thus aligns with the commitment to bring people together and promote knowledge exchange within the wine community and beyond.

With a presence in five major business hubs of the Luen Thai Group, the TSL Football Foundation views football as a universal language that unites communities, inspires pride, and strengthens cultural connections. Guided by founder Dr. Tan Siu Lin’s philosophy of integrating business success with social good, second-generation twin brothers Raymond and Jerry Tan have turned football into a powerful platform for promoting Hong Kong’s sports culture and community spirit.

In Hong Kong, the Foundation collaborates with the AC Milan Academy, empowering senior citizens, supporting SEN students, and training the women’s team, TSL FC, to proudly compete for the Hong Kong championship and represent the city in the Asian Champions League. The Foundation also operates programs in the Northern Mariana Islands, launched in 2005, and expanded to Quanzhou, China, in 2022. In Southeast Asia, it supports marginalized children in the Philippines and Cambodia, some of whom have gone on to represent their countries on the international stage, including at the World Cup.

In a debate on Hong Kong’s cultural innovation, the TSL Football Foundation stands as a prime example of how football can embody inclusivity, creativity, and the unifying power of sports culture in action.

Founded by Andrea Fessler in 2007, Premiere Performances of Hong Kong is a registered charity dedicated to presenting live music experiences of the highest artistic quality in Hong Kong, bringing the world’s finest musicians to the city and nurturing the next generation of musicians and music lovers. 

Over the years, Premiere Performances has presented the Hong Kong debuts of superstars such as Yuja Wang (2009), Nicola Benedetti (2011), Miloš Karadaglić (2012), the Jerusalem Quartet (2013), Augustin Hadelich (2014), Benjamin Grosvenor (2015), Bomsori Kim (2018), Tony Siqi Yun (2022), Sean Shibe (2024) and many more. 

Each season, Premiere Performances curates a diverse lineup of recitals, chamber music concerts, and jazz performances while introducing students and new audiences to the wonders of live performance through community outreach and education programs. In a city as dynamic and international as Hong Kong, music, like debate, becomes a meeting point — a space that fosters creativity, confidence, and connection.