Spring 2008 Issue > UNESCO Heritage Awards Crown Wine Cellars
UNESCO Heritage Awards Crown Wine Cellars
UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) presented Crown Wine Cellars with the “2007 Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Merit” to acknowledge its restoration and continued preservation of “Little Hong Kong.” This prestigious award recognizes the principle individuals who contributed to the project.
Little Hong Kong (as it was known during the Second World War) was constructed in the late 1930s by the British Royal Engineers. During December 1941, the facility was defended by four nationalities: British, Canadians, Punjabis and local Chinese uniformed soldiers of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps. Most significantly, it became the last position to fall to the Japanese occupying forces in the Battle of Hong Kong on December 27, 1941, two days after the general surrender of Hong Kong.
Through the creation of Crown Wine Cellars, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Crown Worldwide Group, Jim Thompson, Crown chairman and Gregory De’eb, general manager of Crown Wine Cellars, have been credited with lovingly and accurately restoring the site to its former glory. Today, Crown Wine Cellars is widely regarded as one of the best wine cellar facilities in the world, as well as being an important part of Hong Kong’s expressed intention to become the fine wine trading capital of Asia.
On January 15, 2008, “Little Hong Kong” was presented with UNESCO’s “2007 Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Merit.” The UNESCO judges were impressed with the quality of the restoration, as well as the ongoing efforts to provide education on the history and defense of Hong Kong to thousands of local and overseas visitors. The award ceremony was held at none other than Crown Wine Cellars itself. Carrie Lam, secretary for development of the Hong Kong government, was the guest of honor, and the awards were presented by Dr. Richard Engelhardt, regional advisor for culture in the Asia Pacific region.
Jim Thompson, chairman of the Crown Worldwide Group (third from left), accepts
UNESCO’s “2007 Asia-Pacific Heritage Award of Merit,” along with Gregory De-eb
of Crown Wine Cellars (second from left), Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s secretary of
development (far left) and Dr. Richard Engelhardt of UNESCO (far right).