Under the “PolyU Jockey Club Operation SoInno” Project funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (J.C.DISI) hosted the “Social Innovation Regional Forum (SIRF) 2023 – Main Forum” (the Forum) in December 2023 with huge success.

Experts from various sectors shared their strategic insights into promoting age inclusivity in the community and improving public well-being more broadly. Topics included enhancing user experience through smart mobility, the social impact of age-inclusive transportation service, fostering intergenerational community cohesion through diverse community programmes, as well as creating inclusive community spaces for citizens of different ages in shopping malls.

Under the theme of “Social and Technology Innovation to Shape Community Integration for All Ages”, the SIRF 2023 brought together cross-disciplinary stakeholders from cities in the Greater Bay Area to explore the intersection of social and technological innovation in order to create inclusive and age-friendly communities. In addition to the Main Forum, four thematic events were held in Hong Kong and Shenzhen from September to December 2023, including the creation of age-inclusive communities through the “participatory design” approach at the China Charity Fair; a tour for non-governmental organisations representatives and urban planning and design professionals from Hong Kong of child-friendly facilities in Shenzhen; as well as two roundtable discussions.