The government and five international relief organizations planned a New Year's Day fund-raising show in Hong Kong to help tsunami victims in devastated southern Asia.
Pop singers Andy Hui (許志安), Miriam Yeung (楊千嬅), Candy Lo and Edmond Leung were among the performers of yesterday's two-hour show, produced by local broadcaster TVB, at the Hong Kong Stadium, which has a capacity of 35,000 people, the government said.
"We feel saddened by the disaster. We are proud to see that Hong Kong people can hold out a helping hand and show humanitarian spirit," Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung-Chee-hwa (董建華) said yesterday.
Hong Kong students and Indonesians living in the city will also give singing and dancing performances at the event.
A magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck off Indonesia's coast last Sunday, triggering tsunamis that killed more than 120,000 people from Southeast Asia to East Africa. Millions have been displaced.
Two Hong Kong residents were killed in the disaster, and officials said they were trying to locate 174 others missing.
Officials said money raised by the performance will go to the Red Cross, World Vision, Oxfam, the United Nations Children's Fund and the Salvation Army, which jointly organized the show, for emergency relief operations in the affected areas.
Hong Kong celebrities planned at least two other charity shows to raise funds for the victims. Pop singers Nicholas Tse (謝霆鋒), Joey Yung (容祖兒), Jaycee Chan (房祖明) -- son of Jackie Chan -- and the female pop duo Twins will perform tonight at an event organized by Emperor Entertainment Group.
Next Friday, entertainers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, including singers Andy Lau (
Wealthy Hong Kongers have dug deep into their pockets to raise funds. Among the donors were action movie hero Jackie Chan, Anna and the King star Chow Yun-fat (周潤發) and tycoon Li Ka-shing (李嘉誠).
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