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The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing, today (March 19) inspected a train decorated with emblems, slogans, mascots and the 23 competition events of the Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games (EAG) at MTR Chai Wan Depot.
Three such decorated trains will start services from today covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories to help publicise the EAG.
Accompanied by the Assistant Director (Leisure Services) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Miss Olivia Chan, and the Head (Publicity and Marketing) of 2009 EAG (Hong Kong) Ltd, Mr Wan Wai-lun, Mr Tsang learnt about the use of the MTR trains to promote the games.
Decorated with the EAG mascots "Dony" and "Ami" and displaying the 23 competition events, the three visually attractive trains will each run along the Island Line, Kwun Tong Line and Tsuen Wan Line to spread the EAG message throughout Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories so as to arouse public awareness of the games and to enlist public support and participation.
Apart from the MTR trains, a new batch of giant advertisement boards publicising the EAG will be displayed along North Lantau Highway early next week. A giant wall banner has been put up at the new Customs arrival hall of Lo Wu Control Point since mid-March to let people arriving in and leaving Hong Kong know that the city is the host of the 5th EAG to be held between December 5 and 13.
Mr Tsang was briefed on the publicity and promotional work for the EAG. He learnt that the following activities had been launched:
- "Blossoming Welcome for the EAG" is the theme of the Hong Kong Flower Show 2009 at Victoria Park. In addition to large-scale mosaics of flowers displaying EAG mascots and emblems, there are designated areas with exhibitions about the EAG so that people can learn about the games while visiting the flower show.
- EAG mascot standees have been displayed at several tourist spots and big shopping plazas since February. "Dony" and "Ami" will appear in busy districts such as Causeway Bay and Mong Kok to be photographed with people to boost EAG publicity.
- A new round of EAG roving exhibitions started in mid-March. Exhibitions are to be staged in the 36 District Offices in 18 districts run by the Home Affairs Department and venues of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) as well as nine big shopping arcades throughout the territory.
- "Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games Promotion Programme for Schools" was launched in early March in which more than 450 secondary and primary school teachers and students will organise a variety of activities in the coming nine months to actively promote the EAG.
- The EAG's theme song, "You are the Legend", has been uploaded onto the websites of EAG (Hong Kong) Ltd and the LCSD for people to download as a ring-tone.
Publicity activities under preparation to be launched later include:
- a huge banner of EAG will be hung on the outer wall of the Hong Kong Museum of Art at the end of this month.
- EAG messages will be aired on radio, TV, and buses starting from the end of this month or early April.
- EAG exhibition areas will be designated and EAG leaflets will be distributed at large-scale activities to be held by Economic and Trade Offices on the Mainland and overseas.
- Beautification projects and scenic decorations for the EAG will be undertaken by various District Councils. Community activities with the theme of "Green, Cultural and Energetic" will also be held.
- A 200-day countdown activity will be held in May, with a 100-day countdown torch relay in August.
Mr Tsang said he hoped that these publicity activities would enable people to learn more about the EAG and to actively support and participate in the EAG so that a games with Hong Kong characteristics could be held successfully.
Ends/Thursday, March 19, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:05
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