Tonight, the St. David’s Society of Hong Kong celebrates a proud Welsh heritage that stretches back to the earliest days of Hong Kong. While no formal record exists of the first Welsh association, eminent Welsh figures served in Canton and later rose to prominence in Hong Kong’s Government, Armed Forces, and business.

The first recorded St. David’s Day banquet was on 1 March 1911 at the Hong Kong Hotel, and from that evening on, the tradition of honoring Wales has endured—even during the Japanese occupation, when celebrations took place in Stanley Internment Camp with a Welsh Male Voice Choir and Welsh lessons.

Over the years, the Society’s members have included key leaders in Hong Kong’s public and private sectors, and a benevolent fund once helped Welsh people in distress, later evolving into charitable support for Hong Kong and Wales.

Tonight, our Annual St. David’s Day Dinner carries this legacy forward, offering an evening of camaraderie, culture, and celebration that remains a highlight in Hong Kong’s social calendar.