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The 200-day countdown ceremony to the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, jointly organised the Home Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, was held at Penfold Park today (February 20).
Speaking at the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Carrie Yau said, ¡§In 200 days, the spectacular Beijing 2008 Paralympics will begin. Hong Kong has always attached great importance to disabled sports and to the Paralympic Games. Our athletes first joined the Games in 1972, and have since achieved impressive results.
¡§In the last Games in Athens, our athletes achieved the best-ever results for Hong Kong. They won 11 gold, seven silver and one bronze medals,¡¨ Mrs Yau said.
She said that with the fast approach of the Paralympics, the Home Affairs Bureau would continue to get people, including the disabled and the disadvantaged, engaged in various celebration activities. The Government hopes that by engaging the whole community in the Games, the spirit of equality and integration of the Paralympics would be reflected in ¡§a society for all¡¨ here.
¡§As a co-host city of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Equestrian Events, Hong Kong is well-prepared. I believe that Hong Kong will stage a great Olympic and Paralympic Games Equestrian Events and make it a milestone for its development as a city of international events,¡¨ Mrs Yau said.
Hundreds of students and teachers from special schools, and parents and Paralympics athletes were invited to participate in the event to share the joy of the countdown ceremony. A carnival was held with game stalls on equestrian events, exhibitions in the Equestrian Pavilion, chanting of Paralympic slogans, a lion dance performance and photo opportunities with Fuwa and ponies.
Other officiating guests at the ceremony were the Chairman of the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, Mrs Jenny Fung; President of the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, Mr Timothy Fok; Chairman of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Mr John Chan; Member of the Board of Governors of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Equestrian Events Hong Kong Fund, Mr Victor Hui; and the Chief Executive Officer of Equestrian Events (Hong Kong) of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad Company Limited, Mr WK Lam.
Ends/Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:40
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