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Following is the translation of the speech by the Chief Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, at the Award Presentation Ceremony for the "World City - My City" Essay and Photo Competition organised by the Information Services Department, Sing Tao Daily and Radio Television Hong Kong today (April 30):

Mr Siu (Sai Wo), winners and runners-up, ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to be here today, and to share with you the joy and satisfaction of this "World City - My City" presentation. Today, the happiest people here are surely the winners and runners-up of the essay and photo competition. For their talent and skill, they deserve our warm congratulations.

Hong Kong - Asia's world city - is our family. I believe that everyone in this city, including the winners and guests here today, loves Hong Kong, because we are all members of this family. Our sense of belonging has been cultivated through the years of growing up, learning, living and working in Hong Kong.

The emotions associated with home are pleasant, warm and affectionate ones. These are the feelings we have upon returning home. Every one of us has a deep memory of things that happened at our home. These happenings may be trivial and unimportant, yet are deeply etched in our minds. Through these episodes in our life, we accumulate deep love and affection for our family.

These emotions are strongest when we return home after a long period of time.  And we have the same feelings for our own family as we have for the big Hong Kong family. I'm sure all of you have experienced this kind of joy when returning to Hong Kong from abroad. The excitement is the same whether you head to the New Territories by train, or enter the harbour by ship, or look out an aircraft window and glimpse the myriad twinkling lights of the city.

Many of the entries in this competition were brimming with care and yearning for the family. The contestants showed deep insight and objective analysis in portraying the most touching aspects of Hong Kong with an innovative and progressive approach.

The spirit displayed by the contestants is the reason for Hong Kong's success. I believe every member of our family will find inspiration in the essays and photos. We love our family; we care about our society. We dare to blaze new trails to build Hong Kong and reinforce its position as Asia's world city.

I would like to thank all the winners for inspiring us. I hope that every one of us will continue to help and encourage each other, and work hard together to create a better future for Hong Kong. Once again, my congratulations to all the winners.  I would also like to thank Sing Tao and Radio Television Hong Kong for its help as co-organisers of this competition.

Thank you very much.

Ends/Saturday, April 30, 2005

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