(22 October 2015 – Hong Kong) New World Department Store China Limited (“NWDS” or the “Company”; Hong Kong stock code: 825), one of the largest owners and operators of department stores in Mainland China, will organize a nationwide sustainability activity, “Take the Challenge! Battle Arena Games!”, at the stores to echo with the “NWDS Sowers Action Challenging 12 Hours Charity Marathon 2015” (“NWDS Sowers Action Challenging 12 Hours”) taking place on 1 November. Customers are invited to take the nametag ripping and other challenges to cheer on the marathon runners in Hong Kong.

Adopting the theme of a recent red-hot game, “Take the Challenge! Battle Arena Games!” is an exciting activity exercising body and minds. Energetic customers aged 16 or above are welcomed to patriciate in groups. The games will be conducted in two rounds, preliminary round and final round. Participants who manage to rip contestants’ nametags in the shortest time in the preliminary round will earn a spot in the final round to be held on 1 November. On that day, finalist teams are required to take the “King of Nametag Ripping” and many other challenges to win the championship. All finalist teams will receive gifts while the champion team will win NWDS N-Card. From now till 23 October, interested parties could register at NWDS customer service centers. Seats are limited and on first-come-first-served basis. To further promote the marathon and Sowers Action’s education-aid work to the public, a retweeting activity called “NWDS CSR Weibo・Bless Challenge” will also be held on NWDS CSR Weibo from 23 October to 2 November. It is meaningful and gives participants an opportunity to win the popular yet stylish Fitbit Charge smart sport wristband.

The “Take the Challenge! Battle Arena Games!” aims at echoing the “NWDS Sowers Action Challenging 12 Hours” to be held on the same day in Hong Kong, which has been title-sponsored by the Company for two consecutive years. Founded by Sowers Action in 2000, the marathon carries an objective to raise funds for under-resourced high-school students in Mainland China. Last year, the marathon recruited over 2,200 runners and raised a record-breaking fund of over $330,000, subsidizing the tuition fees of about 2,100 high-school students.

Ms. Rebecca Woo, Corporate Affairs Director and Chairman of Sustainability Steering Committee of NWDS, said, “Last year, we held the ‘Half-hour Parent-Child Sowers Action Hunt Challenge’ at the stores which were well received by around 1,000 customers across the country. This year, we intend to sweep the country with the excitement of the marathon by organizing the ‘Take the Challenge! Battle Arena Games!’. Despite its different format from the marathon, the games require similar amount of physical strength, persistent spirit, speed and mostly importantly, teamwork from the participants. We are more than happy to invite customers and their friends to take the challenge together and cheer on the marathon runners in Hong Kong.”

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