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Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, at the opening ceremony for Operation Santa Claus 2014 at the PMQ this evening (November 10):
Mr Wang (Xiangwei, SCMP Editor-in-Chief), Roy (Mr Roy Tang, Director of Broadcasting), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It gives me great pleasure to join you all this evening at the launch of Operation Santa Claus 2014. This annual charity campaign is truly an evergreen and ever-growing cause for good.
Operation Santa Claus has been a great companion to our community during every winter season since its beginning in 1988. In the past quarter of a century, it has evolved into one of the most popular and treasured fund raising campaigns in Hong Kong. I wish to take this opportunity to commend and congratulate SCMP and RTHK for the wonderful collaboration over these years.
Operation Santa Claus comes as a welcome reminder that, whatever our disagreements, we are, first and foremost, a community. Like all of you here this evening, I take pride in this community celebration of giving and receiving.
I am sure all of us here will agree to what Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said: "I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community. And, as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can." I encourage you all to continue to contribute to Hong Kong in whatever way you can.
Hong Kong is a successful community built on vision and dedication, on decency and mutual respect. These are the values that have made Hong Kong. They are the values that will see us through today's challenges. They are the very same values that will make this year's Operation Santa Claus another resounding success.
Before I close, I encourage everybody to give generously to and participate actively in Operation Santa Claus 2014. Thank you.
Ends/Monday, November 10, 2014
Issued at HKT 21:11
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