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Hong Kong, 4 January 2026 - UNICEF Charity Run 2025/26 ‘HERO RUN — PoweRun’ took place today (January 4) at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Inspiration Lake, uniting thousands of passionate runners in support of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, advocating for inclusive and equitable learning opportunities for every child.

Mr. Ho Kai Ming, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator and the highest-ranking UN representative in China, Ms. Judy Chen, Chairman of the Hong Kong Committee of UNICEF (UNICEF HK), officiated the event ceremony, at which Mr. Aristo Sham, Hong Kong’s first-ever gold medalist at the 17^th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, was appointed as a UNICEF HK Ambassador.

Mr. Ho Kai Ming: The Government Attaches Great Importance to the Well-being of Children

In his remarks, the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai Ming, said: "The Government attaches great importance to the well-being of children and firmly believes that every child has a right to protection against harm and abuse, with a zero-tolerance attitude towards incidents of child abuse. To further protect children from the harm of domestic violence, The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance, which mandates 25 categories of specified professionals from the social welfare sector, education sector and healthcare sector to report serious child abuse cases, will commence on January 20th. The Ordinance marks an important milestone of Hong Kong's efforts on child protection by creating a comprehensive and effective protection web for children and sending a strong deterrent message to potential perpetrators that their abuse behaviour will be easily exposed.

Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee: Hope Hong Kong will Rise as a Vanguard for Progress and a Steadfast Champion of Children's Education

In a powerful address, Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee underscored that the world today confronts one of its most complex challenges since the Second World War. Within this global context, he voiced a compelling hope: that Hong Kong will rise as a vanguard for progress and a steadfast champion of children's education, serving as a beacon of hope for transformative change. He particularly highlighted the critical importance of public-private partnerships, as demonstrated powerfully today, in driving the tangible impact needed to turn this vision into reality. He took the opportunity to commend Ms. Judy Chen, the Chairman of UNICEF Hong Kong for her leadership and commitment to advance the SDG 4 and for every child everywhere.

UNICEF HK Chairman Judy Chen: UNICEF HK to Strengthen Collaborations and Welcome Aristo Sham as Ambassador in Its 40th Year

Ms. Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK, stated: “UNICEF HK is committed to safeguarding the rights of every child and unlocking their potential. As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2026, we will deepen our collaboration with government, business, and academic sectors to protect children's fundamental rights.”

She extended a warm welcome to Mr. Aristo Sham as a UNICEF HK Ambassador, noting: “Aristo cares deeply about children’s holistic development. Through his ambassadorship, we harness the power of music to nurture children’s bodies and minds, reaching beyond words to help every child feel loved and hopeful.”

Mr. Aristo Sham: Using Music to Inspire and Heal

Mr. Aristo Sham reflected on the memorable performance experience he had with UNICEF when he was only nine and his dream is now fulfilled by being a UNICEF Ambassador to use music to convey hope and strength.  He is excited to embark a new journey together with UNICEF HK to connect with every child and enhance their well-being through music.

Star Heroes Unite to Inspire Actions

‘HERO RUN — PoweRun’ was once again joined by a powerful lineup of ‘Star Heroes’. Long-distance elite runner Mr. Chan Ka Ho took on the Half Marathon, former Hong Kong National Cycling Team member Ms. Ma Wing Yu, and avid trail runner Ms. Sham Lok Yi participated in the 5km race.

Winners Acknowledged for Remarkable Accomplishments

The competition ended on a high note, with champions celebrating their remarkable success. Wong Wan Chun claimed the championship in Men's Half Marathon, finishing in 1hour 06 minutes 32 seconds. The Women's Half Marathon was claimed by Wong Cheuk Ning, who crossed the line in 1hour 23 minutes 11 seconds.

For the 10km Challenge Run, Tse Chung Yin and Kwong Tsz Yu finished as the fastest male and female runners, completed the race with 31 minutes 04 seconds, 38 minutes 21 seconds respectively.

For the 5km Run, Chung Tak Chak and Tsang Hiu Tung took the championship titles in 15 minutes 27 seconds, 17 minutes 26 seconds respectively.

In the 3km Youth Run(age14-15), Wong Chun and Chan Hei Yuet won the male and female champions, finishing in 10 minutes 18 seconds, 14 minutes 07 seconds respectively.

Finally, in the 3km Youth Run(age11-13), Peng Miao Bo and Lee Olivia won the male and female champions, finishing in 11 minutes 29 seconds, 13 minutes 30 seconds respectively.

Table: Champion List of UNICEF Charity Run 2025/26 ‘HERO RUN’

Thousands of passionate runners gather for the UNICEF Charity Run 2025/26 ‘HERO RUN — PoweRun’. The event is officiated by Mr. Ho Kai Ming (front line, sixth left), Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee (front line, fifth left), United Nations Resident Coordinator in China and highest-ranking UN representative in the country; Ms. Judy Chen (front line, seventh left), Chairman of the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF and Mr. Aristo Sham (front line, eighth left), newly appointed UNICEF HK Ambassador and Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medallist . Also joining for a group photo are Mr. Chan Tsz Tat (front line, seventh right), Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Customs and Excise Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Ms. Derval Usher (front line, third left), Chief of Partnerships and Innovation Section, UNICEF China; Star Heroes including Mr. Chan Ka Ho (back row, sixth right), Ms. Yiu Kit Ching (back row, fifth right), popular actor Mr. Cheung Tat Lun (back row, sixth left), famous actress Ms. Sham Lok Yi (back row, third right), and former Hong Kong national cycling team member Ms. Ma Wing Yu (back row, forth right). Gold Sponsors: Ms. Ann Yeung (front row, sixth right), Manager, Corporate Communications, KLN , Ms. Xiao Bin (front row, fifth right), Chief Executive Officer, Agricultural Bank of China Limited Hong Kong Branch, Mr. Zhang Hailiang (front row, fourth right), Business Head, Executive Vice President, North Asia, VISTRA, Mr. Ryan Li (front row, third right), Cathay Pacific Airways Limited Representative; Silver Sponsor: Mr. Xiu Qi (front row, second right), CEO, CCB International (Holdings) Limited ; Supporting Organization:Mr. Wong Kim Lun(front row, first right), Director of Distance Running Committee, Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates;Official Sportswear: Mr. Wesley Zhou (front row, second left), Marketing Director, moodytiger ; Partner, Ms. Ellen Lim (front row, first left), Assistant General Manager (Innovation), Sino Group , and UNICEF HK members.

Mr. Ho Kai Ming, Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, highlights in his speech the Government's strong commitment to children's well‑being and applauds participants for running in support of vulnerable children worldwide. 

Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, states in his speech that Hong Kong is a vanguard for progress and a champion of children's education.

Ms. Judy Chen, Chairman of UNICEF HK, states in her speech that UNICEF HK will strengthen its collaborations with government, business, and academic sectors in 2026, its 40th anniversary year, to further safeguard children's fundamental rights. 

Mr. Aristo Sham, Hong Kong’s first-ever gold medallist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is officially appointed as  UNICEF HK Ambassador at ‘HERO RUN — PoweRun’. Ms. Judy Chen, UNICEF HK Chairman, welcomes him to the role, underscoring their shared commitment to fostering SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and to safeguarding children's holistic development.

UNICEF HK Chairman Ms. Judy Chen, newly appointed UNICEF HK Ambassador Mr. Aristo Sham, along with guests and runners, gather for a group photo at the starting line of the 5 km race.

Star Hero Mr. Chan Ka Ho, long-distance elite runner, takes on the Half Marathon Challenge at the UNICEF Charity Run ‘HERO RUN — PoweRun’.

Star Heroes Mr. Cheung Tat Lun (fourth from right), Ms. Sham Lok Yi (sixth from left), and Ms. Ma Wing Yu (fifth from right), call the start of the 3km Youth Run, cheering on the young runners. Ms. Sham Lok Yi and Ms. Ma Wing Yu take part in the 5km Challenge in support of children’s education.

Thousands of runners brave the cold morning, all for a single goal: quality education for children everywhere.

Wong Wan Chun claims the championship in the Men's Half Marathon of UNICEF Charity Run 'HERO RUN - PoweRun', finishing in 1hour 06 minutes 32 seconds. 

Wong Cheuk Ning claims the championship in the Women's Half Marathon of UNICEF Charity Run 'HERO RUN - PoweRun', finishing in 1hour 23 minutes 11 seconds.

Tse Chung Yin claims victory in the men’s 10km Challenge Run, finishing in 31 minutes 04 seconds.

Kwong Tsz Yu claims victory in the women’s 10km Challenge Run, finishing in 38 minutes 21 seconds.

About UNICEF Charity Run

UNICEF Charity Run is an annual fundraising event organized by Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF and is one of the largest charity road races in Hong Kong. Since its inception in 2006, the event has attracted over 160,000 participants. Together with generous donations from individuals and corporations, UNICEF Charity Run has raised over HK$146 million to date.