Director of Leisure and Cultural Services congratulates award winning young artists
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     The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Mrs Betty Fung, today (June 4) sent letters to congratulate three Hong Kong young painters who won prizes in international painting contests.

     Mr Lau King-gi and Miss Giovanni Chan Dun-yan, both four years old, became the youngest medal prize winners in the 38th International Children's Exhibition of Fine Arts Lidice 2010 held in the Czech Republic.

     The exhibition adopted the theme "Biodiversity - variety of living nature" this year to coincide with UNESCO's International Year of Biodiversity 2010.

     Mr Lau's entry featured a tiger to complement the lunar year of the tiger. Miss Chan's painting depicted birds, butterflies, flowers, trees and nature.

     Mr Lau recently won silver awards in two other international competitions: the 20th International Fine and Applied Art Competition For Children, Gaziantep-Sahinbey Municipality, Turkey, and the International Art Competition for Children and Youth, "Chopin - the inspirer of imagination", Poland.  He also won the Best Top 10-guest on the Colony Award in the 29th Small Montmartre of Bitola, Macedonia, contest.

     Meanwhile, Miss Lisa Tse Yu-ying, a 16-year-old student, won the First Place Award in the intermediate category in the Jubilee 15th International Competition of Children's Art Works, Slovenia. Her entry featured the ethnic clothing of the Miao nationality.  In the 29th Small Montmartre of Bitola, Macedonia contest, she won the Best Top 10-guest on the Colony Award.

     Mrs Fung congratulated the young painters on their outstanding achievements.

     "I wish to send them my heartfelt congratulations. I also hope that they will continue to develop their potential in art and realise their unlimited potential," Mrs Fung said.

Ends/Friday, June 4, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:43

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