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The following is issued on behalf of the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education:
The final round of the "Basic Law Speech Contest 2005" was held successfully at the Leighton Hill Community Hall this afternoon (December 4).
The speech contest was jointly organised by the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education (CPCE), the Home Affairs Bureau and the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Groups, with the slogan "Learn the Basic Law, Know Your Rights and Duties", to enhance young people's understanding of the Basic Law.
The Department of Justice, Constitutional Affairs Bureau, Education and Manpower Bureau, Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and Hong Kong Toastmasters Club were co-organisers of the contest.
More than 300 contestants took part in the contest either as individuals (junior youths and senior youths) or in groups. The adjudicators had selected 15 finalists to enter the final round.
The adjudicators of the final contest included Chairman of Basic Law Institute, Mr Alan Hoo; Senior Assistant Solicitor General, Mr Peter Wong; Associate Professor of Law of the City University of Hong Kong, Dr Zhu Guo-bin; Assistant Professor of Law of the University of Hong Kong, Mr Eric Cheung; President of the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Groups, Mr Leung Chung-wan; Programme Producer of RTHK, Mr Chan King-chong; and Advanced Toastmasters of Toastmasters International, Ms Kitty Wong.
The assessment criteria included the effectiveness in promoting the Basic Law, techniques and organisation of the presentation. Apart from the top three winners of each category, there were special awards for the Best Elaboration of the Basic Law, the Best Co-operation and the Basic Law Grand Award.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, officiated at today's contest. He also delivered a keynote speech on the Basic Law.
Other officiating guests included Chairman of CPCE, Mr Daniel Heung; Principal Assistant Secretary for Home Affairs, Ms Esther Leung; Chairman of the Alliance of Hong Kong Youth Groups, Mr Chan Tak-ming; Deputy Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Ms Grace Lui; Assistant Director of Broadcasting, Mr Tai Keen-man; Principal Education Officer of Education and Manpower Bureau, Mr Poon Hon-hung; and Division H Governor of Toastmasters International, Mr Arthur Ting.
Over the past three months, a series of promotional activities were organised to complement the speech contest, including workshops on the Basic Law and public speaking skills, roving exhibitions held at schools, tertiary institutions and shopping malls, and a television promotional trailer featuring the ambassador of the contest, DJ Francis Mak.
For results and more information on the contest, please visit the website of the Basic Law Speech Contest (http://www.basiclawspeech.hk).
Ends/Sunday, December 4, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:40
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