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Winners of the Adult and Junior categories of the "My Favourite Inventions for Quality Living" Competition 2006 received awards today (December 1) to wrap up the two-month Innovation Festival 2006.
The aim of the festival was to inspire a lifelong interest in innovation and technology among Hong Kong's young generation and to promote Hong Kong as a "City of Innovation". The festival was organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) with The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups as the festival partner.
Speaking at the festival's closing ceremony at the Cyberport, the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Anthony Wong, said the festival was well received by the general public.
"More than 50,000 participants joined in a variety of interesting and innovative programmes in this year's festival which successfully reached the community through different programmes at popular shopping malls and other places,"
The programmes of the festival included 'My Favourite Inventions for Quality Living'(MFI) Competition; roadshows featuring finalist entries of the MFI Competition and more than 120 sessions of design and technology DIY workshops; and a youth innovation exhibition.
"The response to the workshops was overwhelming, with more than 2,000 young participants. Through various programmes, we are able to understand the potential and strength of our youngsters,"
"The festival has provided a platform for our youngsters to demonstrate their work and for the public to recognise their talent," Mr Wong said.
He also emphasised the need to nurture young innovative talent and promote the culture of innovation and technology in Hong Kong in a sustainable manner.
"We see the formal inception this year of the Hong Kong Youth Innovation Club jointly organised by the ITC and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups to provide an interactive platform to further develop the potential of our youth in innovation and technology,"
"ITC will also jointly organise an exhibition in Hong Kong with the Ministry of Science and Technology during the National Science and Technology Week in May next year. The exhibition will showcase the science and technology achievements of Hong Kong and the Mainland," Mr Wong said.
He presented awards to winners of the Junior and Adult categories of the "MFI" Competition 2006 at the festival closing ceremony. Tens of thousands of visitors were drawn during the festival period to the roadshows showcasing the fruits of the "MFI" competition. The finalist entries were selected by a judging panel. In just five weeks, the organiser received nearly 8,000 votes from the general public for their favourite entries out of the finalists.
For details of the winning entries, please see the annex or visit www.innotech.gov.hk
Ends/Friday, December 1, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:30
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