**************************************************
Six award-winning Hong Kong designers and design students will soon travel overseas to enhance their professional skills.
They have each received an award under the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Awards 2006 to undergo overseas study or work attachment with reputable design organisations abroad.
The awards were announced today (November 30) by the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Anthony Wong, at a press conference of the Business of Design Week 2006.
Two of the awards, each with $500,000 sponsorship, are funded by the Government under the DesignSmart Initiative. The other four awards are offered by industrial and education sponsors with a total sponsorship of $1 million.
Among the six awards, three are for practising designers. They are "DesignSmart Young Design Talent Awards" (the two Government-funded awards of $500,000 each) and "Young Design Talent Educational Award" (award of $250,000 donated by Hong Kong Design Institute and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.)
The three awards for design students are "YIC Young Design Talent Award" (awards of $250,000 each donated by Bright Future Foundation, Gold Peak Group, and Hong Kong Young Industrialists Council).
"The award scheme, first organised last year under the DesignSmart Initiative, is part of the Government's efforts to help build a deep talent pool," Mr Wong said at the press conference.
"The five young designers who received the inaugural awards last year are committed to furthering their professional training or education in reputable overseas institutions,"
"I am delighted that the Government's commitment has been again acknowledged with goodwill from the industrial and educational sectors. Their generous support of $1 million, plus the Government's $1 million, raises the total sponsorship to $2 million and covers both practising designers and design students,"
"Congratulations to the six awardees. They have all demonstrated a high standard of design work at their young age and the potential to go a long way in the design profession. I am confident that they will make full use of the sponsorship and will make sustained contributions to the future development of design in Hong Kong," Mr Wong said.
The two awardees of the DesignSmart Young Design Talent Awards are Mr Civic Lee Sze-wik and Ms Karen Lee Sze-wing; the awardee of the Young Design Talent Educational Award is Mr Ken Hui Chun-pong; the three awardees of the YIC Young Design Talent Awards are Ms Chan Hei, Mr Chan Hei-sing and Mr Martin So Wing-hei.
Their works are being showcased at the "Innovation and Design Expo" from November 29 to December 1 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Awards will be presented to the awardees at a Gala Dinner of the Business of Design Week tonight.
The Hong Kong Young Design Talent Awards 2006 are organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission in collaboration with the Hong Kong Design Centre, the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Hong Kong Young Industrialists Council.
Details about the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Awards 2006 are available from the website, www.designtalent.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, November 30, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:05
NNNN
