BVI Hong Kong Office Christmas Dinner
The BVI Hong Kong Office hosted its annual Christmas Dinner on December 20 for BVI students and staff living in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and China, bringing a touch of Virgin Islands home to the region. The Office, sponsored by the Office of the Premier, gathered students and staff for food, music, games and a festive lights walking tour in Central Hong Kong.
On Saturday, December 20, the British Virgin Islands Hong Kong Office held its annual BVI Christmas Dinner for students and staff from the Virgin Islands who are living and working across Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and mainland China. The afternoon gathering in Central Hong Kong brought together eight students and five staff members for an event that mixed fellowship, Virgin Islands music, games, a traditional Christmas meal and local favourites such as sorrel, ginger beer and guavaberry.
The dinner was sponsored by the Office of the Premier and organised by BVI Hong Kong Office staff members Ronn Grant and Shaquille Malone. "We host an annual holiday gathering to give our students and staff a touch of home while away from home during the end of year holidays," said Dr.
Ricardo Wheatley, Director of the BVI Hong Kong Office. "Most of our students will not travel back to their families in BVI for the holidays, so it is important that we celebrate Christmas here as a Virgin Islands family and that no one is alone." Following the meal, Grant and Malone led participants on a festive walking tour of Hong Kong's illuminated City Centre, allowing students to enjoy the seasonal displays and further build community ties away from home.
The BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme currently supports nine students studying in Asia. "We presently have nine students studying here in the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme, and it is my hope that at next year’s holiday gathering we will host 20 students for Christmas dinner as more students join the programme," Grant said, noting ambitions to expand the scheme and deepen educational connections across the region.
For BVI residents, the dinner highlights the Government’s efforts to maintain cultural links and provide pastoral care for nationals overseas, particularly during important holidays. The event also showcases how government-sponsored programmes can create community among scholars and staff dispersed across different countries.
Students interested in applying to the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme for the 2026–2027 academic year can contact the BVI Hong Kong Office by email at studyinasia@bvihongkongoffice.com.hk. The office encourages prospective applicants to reach out early for programme details and application guidance.
The annual dinner is a reminder to families and communities in the Virgin Islands that government offices overseas continue to support nationals abroad, celebrate shared culture and work to expand opportunities for future scholars.
Primary source: BVI Government