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National diving stars and Hong Kong swimming elite will grace the opening ceremony of the redeveloped Victoria Park Swimming Pool this week.
About 2 500 people, including students, the underprivileged and community groups, will attend the opening ceremony on November 24.
The opening programme includes a diving performance by national Olympic gold medallists Wu Minxia, He Zi, Chen Ruolin and Qin Kai.
Hong Kong divers Xie Zhen and Sharon Chan, who recently won silver and bronze respectively at the sixth East Asian Games in Tianjin, will also take part in the diving demonstration.
Local swimming stars will take part in a 4 x 50-metre short-course relay, while a synchronised swimming team will also take to the water.
The ceremony will start at 11am. The Eastern District Children's Choir will sing "Sail On", the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign theme song, at the opening ceremony.
The redeveloped Victoria Park Swimming Pool is built to international standards for hosting competitions in swimming, diving, water polo and synchronised swimming. The new venue is an indoor heated pool that can be used year-round.
Organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the opening is a "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign signature event under the "Vibrant Hong Kong" theme.
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To offer young people an opportunity to understand more about social enterprises (SEs), as well as to promote public understanding and sustainable development of SEs, the Home Affairs Department and the Sham Shui Po District Office will jointly host the Sham Shui Po Social Enterprise District Carnival cum the Kick-off of Youth Festival.
The event will be held on November 24 at the hard-surface soccer pitch at Stage I of Lai Chi Kok Park from noon to 5pm.
Youth groups will celebrate the launch of the festival with a variety of stage performances. Television artistes including Fred Cheng, Alfred Hui, Patrick Dunn and Skye Chan will sing and dance for carnival-goers.
During the event, 39 individuals and organisations will be commended for their outstanding contributions in the Friends of Social Enterprise Award Scheme 2013 at a special award presentation ceremony.
Twenty-three SEs funded by the Enhancing Self-Reliance Through District Partnership Programme will set up stalls to promote their products and services including health food, organic farm produce, textiles work and accessories, massage and domestic services.
The carnival is a "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign signature event under "Caring Hong Kong". Everyone is welcome to attend.
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The YONEX-SUNRISE 2013 Hong Kong Open Badminton Championships will see 260 of the world's top players from 21 countries and regions competing for the championship titles.
The Open is endorsed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and is one of its Superseries events.
The Hong Kong Open is a high-intensity, six-day event running from November 19 to 24 and offering a total prize purse of more than $2.7 million. This year the world's top 10 badminton players will battle for the titles.
A star-studded Mainland team comprising 28 players will include Olympic gold medallists Li Xueri, Zhang Nan, Zhao Yunlei, Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng.
The Hong Kong team will include popular players Yip Pui-yin, Wong Wing-ki, Poon Lok-yan and Tse Ying-suet. A total of 40 players will represent Hong Kong in the open.
Leading a team of 14 players from Malaysia will be Lee Chong-wei, who is currently ranked Number 1 in the men's singles by the BWF. From Thailand will be 18-year-old Ratchanok Intanon, the youngest women's singles world champion.
Organised by the Hong Kong Badminton Association, the tournament will be held at the Hong Kong Coliseum, Hung Hom.
Admission tickets are available at URBTIX. A small number of free tickets will be distributed at the door on the morning on November 19 for the first day's events. Please call 2504 8318 for details.
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The 10th anniversary event of the walkathon organised by the Hong Kong Christian Service (HKCS) expects a record turnout of more than 2 300. Open to people of all ages, the activity is also suitable for those using wheelchairs.
On November 24, a starting ceremony will be held at Tai Wan Shan Park in Hung Hom at 2pm. Participants will start walking at 2.30pm and will go along the Hung Hom Promenade and the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade before finishing at Mody Road Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East, where a carnival will be held.
Each participant is required to raise donations of at least $200. The participant who raises the most money will be presented with the Best Fundraiser Award.
Participants wearing fancy costumes will have a chance to win the Best Costume Award. Pictures taken during the event can be submitted to a contest for the Best Photo Award. Pictures can be emailed to event@hkcs.org.
The enrolment deadline is November 21. The enrolment form, the sponsorship form and further details are available at the HKCS website: www.hkcs.org/support/walkathon/walkathon-e.html .
Funds raised will support the HKCS Navigating Adversity Counselling Services and the HKCS Service Development Fund.
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Twelve budding musicians aged 8 to 15 from 10 countries and regions will give performances of their original compositions at the Asia Pacific Junior Original Concert Hong Kong 2013.
The concert will offer a platform for junior musical talent to showcase their creativity. It will be held at the Jockey Club Auditorium of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on November 24 at 4pm.
Representing Hong Kong will be Kwan Nok-ching, Jasmine Tso and Anson Wong, who were selected by a panel of judges at the Yamaha Junior Original Highlight Concert 2013 in April this year.
For tickets and enquiries, please call 2737 7568 or visit the website: www.tlmf.org/UserFiles/Event/2013/apjoc/index_en.html .
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Children participating in the 2014 Territory-wide Young Children's English Song Singing Contest will be out to impress the judges and audience as they take to the stage in colourful costumes and make-up.
The contest is organised by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) and co-organised by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Institute of Education with the aim of raising children's confidence and competence in learning English through singing.
The contest consists of two parts, and the preliminaries will be held in nine districts on November 23. More than 2 800 students from 138 kindergartens, nurseries and child care centres will compete for gold, silver and bronze awards.
Each team will have at least eight children, and they can sing a cappella, perform with musical accompaniment or present singing games and rhythmic movements. The winning criteria will include the command of English, interpretation of music and artistic expression.
The gold award winners from each district will compete in the final to be held at TWGHs Wong Yee Jar Jat Memorial Primary School on January 11, 2014.
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All these events support the "Hong Kong: Our Home" public participation campaign, which aims to inject positive energy into society, foster social cohesion and promote care, mutual help and solidarity in the community.
More than 230 Partner Organisations have so far pledged support for the Campaign.
Altogether, the Government and Partner Organisations are organising more than 1 000 events/activities under the four themes of the Campaign from the end of April to the end of December this year.
Full details of the Campaign can be found on the website www.hkourhome.gov.hk.
Ends/Sunday, November 17, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:00
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