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Following is the speech delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the opening ceremony of the Business of Design Week 2008 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (December 11):
Mr Victor Lo, Minister Heemskerk, Consul General Schuddeboom, Mr Fred Lam, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to join you for the opening ceremony of this year's Business of Design Week (BODW), and to welcome our friends from overseas to Asia's world city.
The BODW was established in 2002 as the flagship event of the Hong Kong Design Centre. Since then it has developed into the largest and most prestigious annual design event in Asia - and one of the leading design events in the world.
That's an impressive performance in just six years, and I thank you all for your continued support of the BODW.
The inspired format of combining business, design and international partnership has proved to be a winning formula. A large orange balloon just outside the Convention and Exhibition Centre gives us a big clue as to the identity of this year's BODW partner country - the Netherlands. I am delighted to welcome this substantial and creative Dutch delegation to Hong Kong. First of all, let's give them a big hand.
The Dutch enthusiasm for creative industries is clearly visible today. Minister Heemskerk has brought an impressive delegation of some 250 people to Hong Kong to introduce the best of Dutch creative talent to Asian markets. The BODW also showcases the creativity of our own designers and reinforces their relationship with the business community and our friends from overseas.
The theme of this year's BODW is "Open Minds". It is a simple statement that captures the essence of the BODW. This week will open the minds of designers to learn from other designers; open the minds of our design students to learn from the experts; open the minds of our industrialists and manufacturers to the potential of design to enhance their businesses; most important, it will open all our minds further to accept new ideas, new concepts and new designs. And of course, it will also open the minds of the Government to the potential of this combination.
This event has built its reputation on providing a wide range of opportunities for interaction between business and design, and for business matching. It is also a platform for discussions on design education, branding, intellectual property management, product design and technology.
These are some of the issues that are focusing minds in our government today. Our role is to provide effective support for creative industries through robust intellectual property rights, strong copyright protection, a vibrant digital environment, and by nurturing creative thinkers from a young age.
In my Policy Address this year, I also announced the setting up of a Creative Industry Office to co-ordinate the work of various departments more efficiently, and provide stronger support for creative industries. I am absolutely certain that as Hong Kong continues to develop and move up the value chain, the need for a vibrant creative sector will become even more important, and an even greater source of economic activity.
I was interested to learn that one of the items on this year's BODW programme is Quake Solutions. In response to the tragic events in Sichuan Province in May, this session will look at how design can lessen the impact of natural disasters such as the Sichuan earthquake. It will also provide practical ways to speed up reconstruction in a safe and sustainable way.
Also on this year's programme is the WKCD Forum, our West Kowloon Cultural District Forum, which will explore ways to maximise the potential of our West Kowloon Cultural District Project. This is a particularly exciting venture for Hong Kong as we establish the city as a centre for culture and the arts in Asia.
Governments around the world, including here in Hong Kong, are also looking to the creativity and originality of design innovators to help lift our economies out of the current global financial crisis. Our designers can provide a competitive advantage for industries based here and elsewhere during these challenging times. BODW is a great platform to share ideas and expertise to help our economies weather the financial storm.
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a very enjoyable and successful Business of Design Week. I also hope you get the chance to explore Hong Kong and experience the vibrancy of our East-meets-West culture that gives our city such a unique feel and provides inspiration to designers and entrepreneurs, wherever they may come from.
Thank you.
Ends/Thursday, December 11, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:12
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