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Following is the speech by the Postmaster General, Mr Luk Ping-chuen, at the "Hong Kong: Asia's world city" Souvenir Cover Design Award Presentation and Issuing Ceremony held today (January 2):

Mr Tung, distinguished guests and friends from the media,

Welcome to the "Hong Kong: Asia's world city" Souvenir Cover Design Award Presentation and Issuing Ceremony. We are honoured to have Mr Tung, the Chief Executive to officiate this event for us.

To better promote Hong Kong as Asia's world city, the administration launched the Brand Hong Kong campaign last May and adopted the dragon as the logo. Hongkong Post is also committed to lending its support to this campaign in a number of ways, such as imprinting the Brand Hong Kong logo on the sheet selvedge of all commemorative stamps starting from 2002. Hence, "Year of the Horse" special stamp, to be issued on 13 January 2002 will be the first set of stamps with the Brand Hong Kong logo printed on the selvedge. The 2001 Prestige Stamp Album, which includes all philatelic products of 2001 to be issued a few days later on January 19 2002, has incorporated the design of Brand Hong Kong logo on its cover. The Prestige Stamp Album known for its exquisite design has always been considered as the best gift; and hence is the most effective means to promote the Brand Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, the youth design contest was also held to foster students' awareness of Hong Kong as Asia's world city, from an international perspective, as well as to arouse their interest in promoting Hong Kong. The contest received an encouraging response with over 4,700 entries. The standard of the contestants are very promising, especially our champion who let her imagination fly free and creatively highlighted the uniqueness of Hong Kong as an international business and financial centre, a cosmopolitan and vibrant city and the gateway to China in her design. We have specially picked two of the winning entries and adopted their design for the "Hong Kong: Asia's world city" souvenir covers. I am sure students must feel intimate and familiar when looking at these two covers.

Thank you very much.

End/Wednesday, January 2, 2002

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