To promote and convey the spirit of the China Women's Volleyball Team – national success, solidarity, resilience, and determination to improve – The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and Tianjin University of Sport (TJUS) co-organised the ‘National Glory - Exhibition on the Spirit of the China Women's Volleyball Team’, to showcase the team’s glorious history and competitiveness in winning ten world titles over four decades.    

The exhibition runs from today until 1st July 2024 on EdUHK’s Tai Po campus, and includes artifacts such as the 1981, 2003 and 2019 Women's Volleyball World Cups, and gold medals from the 1984 Los Angeles, 2004 Athens and 2016 Rio Olympic Games, match-worn kit and shoes, provided and loaned by TJUS. The exhibition will be complemented by text and video explanations to showcase the honour the team has brought to the country, and the tremendous effort they have put in behind the scenes.

Officiating at the ceremony were EdUHK Deputy Council Chairman Professor Terence Chan Ho-wah and President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin; Director of Sports at the Publicity, Culture, and Sports Department of the Liaison Office Mr Zhu Jianping; Assistant District Officer (Tai Po) Miss Phoebe Yu Wing-lam; TJUS Secretary of Party Committee Mr Zhang Lishun; Executive Vice President of the Volleyball Academy of China Ms Zhang Na; former Chinese Women's Volleyball Team members Ms Li Juan and Ms Wei Qiuyue; and the EdUHK National Athlete Ambassador, Ms Yao Di.

Professor Terence Chan Ho-wah shared his heartfelt appreciation with TJUS for loaning the precious medals and trophies to EdUHK. He said, “As this year marks the People’s Republic of China's 75th anniversary, and the Olympic Games are just around the corner, it is timely to have this exhibition now, on the EdUHK campus. I sincerely hope that all who visit can feel and embrace the spirit of the China Women's Volleyball Team. Through unremitting dedication and effort, we can achieve the extraordinary.”

Professor John Lee Chi-Kin said in his speech that the EdUHK delegation visited Tianjin in March this year, and was deeply moved by the Exhibition on the Spirit of the China Women's Volleyball Team. EdUHK thus spent three months preparing to bring the exhibition to the campus. 

“The spirit of the China Women's Volleyball Team symbolises the unity and indomitable spirit of sport, and also represents a profound patriotic sentiment. Through this exchange of sports and culture, we hope that EdUHK students as well as young people in Hong Kong, whether on the sports field or in other domains, face difficulties with resilience and a proactive mindset, strive towards their personal goals, and contribute to society and the country.”

Mr Zhang Lishun said, “EdUHK is a university that has inherited a rich legacy in education from its predecessors, while exemplifying a vibrant spirit of innovation. Over the past 30 years, it has contributed to the construction of the Bay Area, cultural exchanges, and national development, by nurturing numerous outstanding talents with a national spirit and an international perspective. We firmly believe that co-organising this exhibition with EdUHK will convey and promote the spirit of women's volleyball in Hong Kong, and together, we will tell the good story of China.”

Additionally, the Tianjin Women's Volleyball Team (which has won the national volleyball league championship 16 times to date and has provided a large number of players to the Chinese women's volleyball team) also played an exhibition match against the Hong Kong women's team, the EdUHK women's team and the winners of the Hong Kong Schools Jing Ying girls’ volleyball tournament. The exhibition match received an overwhelming response, with nearly 400 EdUHK students, staff, alumni and public members participating.

Bachelor of Education (Honours) (Physical Education) student Michelle Cheung Hiu-nok, a member of the EdUHK volleyball team as well as the Hong Kong Women’s Volleyball team, said it was an incredible opportunity interacting with Tianjin Women's Volleyball Team and playing with them. “Their sharing on training and preparing for matches are truly inspirational, learning from athletes of such high calibre motivates me to work even harder,” she said.

Admission to the ‘National Glory - Exhibition on the Spirit of the China Women's Volleyball Team’ exhibition is free. Details are as follows: