Nearly 2,500 Runners Joined “Run for Girls!” 2026 Running Together to Bring Hope and Freedom to Refugee Girls

Nearly 2,500 runners gathered at Hong Kong Science Park to take action in support of girls’ rights and stand in solidarity with refugee girls.

“Run for Girls!” 2026, a charity run organised by Plan International Hong Kong, was successfully held on 11 April 2026. Starting at Science Park, the event attracted around 2,500 enthusiastic participants who took part in the 10 km, 3 km, and 1 km races—coming together to champion girls’ rights and bring hope to refugee girls.

Globally, 117 million people have been forcibly displaced by conflict, poverty, and disasters, many of whom have become refugees. In times of crisis, girls often face heightened vulnerability—exposed to risks of sexual violence, child marriage, early pregnancy, and domestic abuse—losing their chance to shape their own futures.

This year’s theme, “Stand with Refugee Girls – Run Towards Freedom and Hope,” aimed to rally collective support to raise funds for Plan International’s child protection and girls’ rights programmes in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. The initiative helps provide refugee girls with access to education, restore hope, and strengthen community awareness to prevent child marriage and gender-based violence, ensuring a safer environment for girls.

We are honoured to have our Honorary Ambassador Stephy Tang officiate the kick-off ceremony, alongside Board Chair Ms. June Leung, board members Mr. Jerry Chan, Ms. Sylvene Fong, Ms. Kathleen Shi, Dr. Sandra Tsang, and the Chief Executive Office Dr. Kanie Siu. They were joined by volunteer ambassadors including Katy Kung, JACE Chan, Joey Law, Roxanne Ho, Lisa Cheng, and Pony Choi, marking the official launch of the event and reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing girls’ rights.

Our Honorary Ambassador Stephy Tang (6L), Board Chair Ms. June Leung (5L), board members Mr. Jerry Chan (3R), Ms. Sylvene Fong (5R), Ms. Kathleen Shi (1L), Dr. Sandra Tsang (3L), and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kanie Siu (7R), together with volunteer ambassadors Katy Kung (6R), JACE Chan (4R), Joey Law (4L), Roxanne Ho (2L), Lisa Cheng (1R), and Pony Choi (2R), officiated the kick-off ceremony.	In her remarks, Ms Leung highlighted that refugee girls, during long and perilous journeys, face not only threats of sexual violence but are also deprived of their fundamental right to education. Many falls into cycles of child marriage, early pregnancy, and domestic abuse. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to all participants for their support, which enables girls to continue learning and regain hope.
Stephy Tang officially kicked off the race and reiterated her long-standing support for girls’ rights. She noted that many girls worldwide are still unable to control their own destiny, facing risks of losing their freedom, dropping out of school, and experiencing gender-based violence. She called on everyone to stand together to bring hope and change for girls.	Our Honorary Ambassador Stephy Tang, together with volunteer ambassadors Katy Kung, JACE Chan, Joey Law, Roxanne Ho, Lisa Cheng, and Pony Choi, came together to share why they support girls’ rights. They also called on the public to support Plan International’s work in the Rohingya refugee camps, empowering more girls to transform their lives through education and build a brighter future.

A group of accomplished women from diverse sectors formed the “Women Elite” team, showing their support through action and working together to advance girls’ rights.

Women Leaders and Corporates Driving Impact Together

The event featured the “Women Elite” category, bringing together accomplished women leaders from diverse sectors to lead the 3 km race and champion girls’ rights through action.The Corporate Cup 3 km Race attracted participation from over 40 companies. KPMG, with a delegation of 160 participants, was awarded both the Corporate Most Participants Award Champion and the Corporate Top Fundraising Award Champion. Diamond Sponsor UOB Hong Kong secured second place in the Corporate Cup and second runner-up in the Corporate Top Fundraising Award, while RYTHM Foundation was named first runner-up in the Corporate Top Fundraising Award. Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (HAECO) claimed the Corporate Cup 3 km Race Championship, with Deutsche Bank Hong Kong taking second runner-up. Meanwhile, Uplift Educational Charity Foundation and BNI HEAT Chapter were awarded second and third place respectively in the Corporate Most Participants Award.

Running Clubs and Fans Rally for Refugee Girls

The event also received strong support from running clubs, with more than 10 clubs and over 300 runners participating. The “Largest Running Team Award” went to Running Man Athletic Club, followed by Marathon Training Centre Limited as runner-up, and the Hong Kong Network for the Promotion of Inclusive Society (Dragon Running Team) as second runner-up.

A special “Fan Club Participation Award” was also introduced this year to encourage fans to support the cause alongside celebrities and ambassadors. The championship went to FC Family, followed by Pony Choi Fans Club, Stephy Fantasia, and JACE Chan Fan Club, recognising their enthusiastic support.

Thanks to the generous support of sponsors and participants, the event successfully raised nearly HKD 1.19 million. The funds will support child protection and girls’ rights programmes in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, providing refugee girls with access to education and vital opportunities for a better future. The programmes also aim to strengthen community awareness of preventing child marriage and gender-based violence, creating a safer environment where girls can grow up with dignity, rebuild their lives, and regain hope for the future.

The article about this event was published in the Hong Kong Economic Journal on 26 May 2026. (Chinese Only)