GEG and MSO Jointly Hold Kick-Off Ceremony for Fifth Anniversary Event Series of the “GEG Run with a Partner Training Program”

Upholding its corporate citizenship pledge of “Community at Heart, Empathy in Action”, Galaxy Entertainment Group (“GEG”) actively supports, organizes, and participates in various large-scale sports events that continuously strengthen the connection between sports and the community through diverse initiatives. Since 2021, GEG and the Macau Special Olympics (“MSO”) have been co-organizing the “GEG Run with a Partner Training Program” for members of the GEG Runner’s Club under the GEG Staff Social Club to conduct regular long-distance running training with MSO athletes and to jointly participate in sports events such as the Galaxy Entertainment Macao International Marathon, actively promoting the spirit of unified sports. To celebrate the program’s fifth anniversary, GEG and MSO expanded community outreach by visiting several schools, social service organizations, and the back-of-house areas of GEG to introduce the program to nearly 1,500 teachers, students, social service members and users, and GEG team members. These efforts, aimed at encouraging aspiring participants and athletes with special needs to join the program, highlighted the program’s achievements. Recently, GEG and MSO held a kick-off ceremony to welcome new participants and launch the program’s Fifth Anniversary Event Series at Broadway Macau™.

The ceremony was attended and officiated by Mr. Chen Jian, Level II Division Rank Official of the Department of Social Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau SAR; Mr. Ho Siu Kwan, Acting Head of Events Promotion and International Relations Division of the Sports Bureau of the Macau SAR Government; Mr. Leong Sun Iok, Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Macau SAR Government; Ms. Viviana Lai, Board Member of MSO; and Ms. Annie Loi, Assistant Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility of Public Relations of GEG. Several representatives from local social service organizations also attended to show their support. In his speech, Mr. Siu Yu Hong, National Director of MSO, said, “We appreciate GEG’s continued support for MSO and the joint launch of the ‘GEG Run with a Partner Training Program’ in 2021. Over the past five years, many MSO athletes have surpassed their limits and successfully completed marathon events, thanks to the encouragement and companionship of GEG Runner’s Club members. The program has certainly helped our athletes build greater confidence and courage. With GEG’s further support this year, more athletes with special needs, students, and young runners will have the opportunity to discover their potential and showcase the spirit of inclusion and sportsmanship in the community.”

The kick-off ceremony began with a video presentation featuring highlights from the past five years of training and racing. Several GEG Runner’s Club members involved in the training program also shared their experiences. Ms. Kate Kwan, a GEG team member from Integrate Resort Services who has participated since the program’s launch, said, “Being a guide runner of this program through the GEG Runner’s Club has been exceptionally rewarding. Accompanying MSO athletes through training and completing the marathons has taught me that being a guide is not just about ‘accompaniment’, but also about ‘mutual support’. Their perseverance has deeply inspired me and shown me that the meaning of sports lies in mutual accomplishment, rather of personal goals.” In addition, attending guests and program participants joined a running warm-up exercise to experience the cohesion and inclusivity that sports bring.

The “GEG Run with a Partner Training Program” offers participants a structured, months-long training course covering topics such as interacting with individuals with special needs and marathon pacing techniques. Athletes are paired with guide runners based on their physical abilities and needs. Together, they develop appropriate long-distance race strategies and train at a similar pace through a variety of running drills, enhancing their speed, stamina, and coordination. These efforts provide crucial support for athletes with special needs as they prepare for marathons and other long-distance challenges.

GEG has been dedicated to promoting unified sports in the community. This year marks the 15th consecutive year of GEG’s support for the “GEG Macau Special Olympics Unified Table Tennis Fun Day” organized by MSO. In addition, GEG continues to support the development of local sports through various efforts, including title-sponsoring the second season of “Galaxy Entertainment Group Presents: We Are Macau Athletes”, enabling local athletes from various disciplines to conduct diverse activities such as in-school sharing and community visits to raise public awareness and promote a positive and healthy image of Macau athletes. Additionally, GEG is also title-sponsoring the “Galaxy Entertainment Group Presents: PGA Tour Dreams, Macau”, which is co-organized by the Macau Professional Golfers Association and introduces golf to local youth by sharing fundamental knowledge of the sport.