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Views collected via the ¡°My Hong Kong 2020¡± public engagement programme would form the basis for updating Brand Hong Kong (BrandHK), the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, said at a prize presentation ceremony that marks the conclusion of the programme today (January 23).
¡°A city¡¯s brand is an invaluable asset of the city. More and more major cities around the world are building up their own city brands to promote themselves in a bid to attract foreign investment, tourists, talent or boost economic development,¡± Mr Tsang said.
He noted that many changes had taken place locally and globally since BrandHK was launched in 2001. With the additional challenges posed by the financial tsunami, a review of the brand was thus needed to ensure that the brand stays abreast of the times and remains effective in promoting Hong Kong.
Public engagement in creating the brand vision was a key process in the review exercise. The first phase of public engagement for the review started in May last year. A total of 20 sectoral consultation sessions and a series of public opinion surveys were conducted.
This was followed by the second phase of public engagement, which began in late September last year. Comprising the myhk2020 website and two creative competitions (music video and drawing), ¡°My Hong Kong 2020¡± was organised to encourage members of the public, particularly young people, to articulate their views of the city¡¯s future in order to create a shared vision of Hong Kong in 2020.
Mr Tsang noted that preliminary analysis of these public views had shown that Hong Kong has succeeded in preserving many of its unique strengths ¡ª global connectivity, stable and free metropolis, friendly business environment, highly efficient work force, good infrastructure, and the ¡®can-do spirit¡¯ of Hong Kong people.
Nevertheless, the respondents would also like the Government to do more in terms of environmental protection, education and heritage preservation, developing creative industries as well as promoting culture and a better work-life balance.
Mr Tsang said he was deeply touched by respondents¡¯ feelings for Hong Kong and their hopes for the city¡¯s future as expressed via the website or the competitions.
He said he hoped residents would in the future better identify themselves with BrandHK now that they had taken part in creating a shared vision of the city¡¯s brand.
The ¡°My Hong Kong 2020¡± programme attracted over 1,300 responses and entries. Of these, some 300 were responses submitted via the myhk2020 website, and the rest were entries for the two creative competitions.
The ¡°Create Hong Kong 2020¡± Hong Kong Drawing Contest, which was organised jointly by the Information Services Department, St James¡¯ Settlement and Arthome, drew nearly 1,000 entries. The ¡°Hong Kong 2020: The Miracle Continues¡± Music Video and Lyrics Competition, a joint production between the Information Services Department and Radio Television Hong Kong, attracted a total of 21 entries.
The myhk2020 website and the music videos on the YouTube website recorded over 30,000 viewings each.
Also officiating at today¡¯s ceremony were the Director of Information Services, Mrs Betty Fung; the Director of Broadcasting, Mr Franklin Wong Wah-kay; and the Chief Executive Officer of St James¡¯ Settlement, Mr Michael Lai.
About 100 contestants were awarded prizes at the ceremony. The winning entries, together with the public views uploaded to the myhk2020 website, are now on display at an exhibition in the ground floor foyer of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition, which will stay open until January 30, 2009.
The public can also browse the public views and winning entries by visiting the BrandHK website at www.brandhk.gov.hk/brandhk/myhk2020/en/.
Ends/Friday, January 23, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:18
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