In Hong Kong, perhaps more than in any other society, giving for charity is woven into the fabric of daily life, a trait emphasised in holiday seasons such as Christmas and the Lunar New Year. But even off season, there are weekly flag days, ubiquitous raffle-ticket sales and televised fund-raising extravaganzas for major charities such as the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Po Leung Kuk.
Besides the significant charitable donations by Hong Kong's general population every year, social change is also being brought about by the philanthropy of Hong Kong's wealthiest individuals and families.
John Peralta, an expert in philanthropy and non-profit management, said the amount of giving from these sources was significant. 'When you compare charity donations made out of private wealth with donations coming out of individuals' salaries, I would say that donations out of salaries accounts for the smaller portion [of total charitable donations in Hong Kong],' he said.
The managing director and head of global wealth structuring at Citigroup private bank, Michael Troth, said that philanthropy by the wealthy had risen.
'Over the past two to three years, we've seen a number of our ultra-high-net-worth clients looking to engage in philanthropy work,' he said.
Such an increase may be due to various reasons, Mr Troth said. 'They may be at an age when they are thinking of having to do some planning before it is too late ... to carry out their legacy,' he said. There was generally a genuine desire to help others as well. 'It is not just a feel-good factor, but a true desire to make a difference.'