Speech by CE at Opening Ceremony of Business of Design Week (English only) (with photos/video)

Speech by CE at Opening Ceremony of Business of Design Week (English only) (with photos/video)
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     Following is the speech delivered by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the Opening Ceremony of Business of Design Week held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (December 1):

Victor (Lo), Mr (Stefan) Kapferer, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     I am delighted to join you for the opening of Business of Design Week (BODW) 2011.

     A warm welcome to you all, and in particular to our friends from Germany, this year's partner country.

     No doubt, we are all looking forward to learning more about "Brand New Germany".

     Now in its 10th year, BODW is a signature event for the international design industry. It is an excellent platform for designers, business people, academics and professionals from around the world to share their insights and experiences.

     So allow me to share with you one of the many insights of a man whose designs have changed our world - the late Mr Steve Jobs.

     Mr Jobs once said, and I quote, "Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it's really how it works."

     Anyone who owns one of Mr Jobs' creations will probably agree the secret to their success is that they both look good and work well. Even if you don't need one, you probably want one!

     Excellence in design is another feature of BODW. This event honours great designs and provides opportunities for networking and collaboration across disciplines and borders. Most important, it also connects design professionals with the general public through its community outreach programmes.

     I thank the Hong Kong Design Centre for its work in organising BODW and bringing together people from all areas of the industry under one roof - albeit a very large roof.

     Over the years, we have teamed up with different countries to give BODW an extra international dimension. This year, we are honoured to have Germany as our partner.

     Many superlatives spring to mind when I think about German designs, engineering and brands. I am delighted to welcome a high-profile German delegation to BODW to showcase your ideas and expertise in Hong Kong this year.

     Ladies and gentlemen, we have designated next year as Hong Kong Design Year. This is part of our commitment to promote creative and cultural industries as an economic pillar for Hong Kong.

     Our theme for Hong Kong Design Year is "A City Driven by Design". Victor and his team at the Hong Kong Design Centre are drawing up plans for a series of signature events to celebrate Hong Kong's design excellence and its impact in the international arena.

     I encourage our visitors to come back again next year and help make Hong Kong Design Year a great success.

     In the meantime, I wish you all a very successful and creative BODW 2011.

     Thank you very much.

Ends/Thursday, December 1, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:16

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