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The following is issued on behalf of The Equestrian Company:
Volunteers serving for the 2008 Olympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong will be making the Games part of our Nation¡¯s and our City¡¯s legacy that will last in our collective memories for generations to come, Chief Executive Officer of The Equestrian Company (EqCo), Mr Lam Woon-kwong, said this afternoon (February 24).
Speaking at the orientation ceremony for some 200 lead volunteers who will help make the Olympic Equestrian Events in August next year and the Test Event this summer a smooth operation, Mr Lam thanked the Volunteers, chosen from a pool of some 8,000 applicants, for their ¡°rally to a right cause¡± through their support by joining as Volunteers.
The Volunteers would be passed on knowledge on how to make the 2008 Equestrian part of the great Games held for the first time on Chinese soil in the upcoming intensive 80-hour training program.
The Volunteers would be deployed to a myriad of responsibility areas ranging from competition venues to translation to media support, the Volunteers were told.
They were also asked to be mindful that they would be the very front-line helpers, that they would be the ambassadors of our Nation and that they would be making part of the Olympic history.
The Volunteers were each given a ¡°smile wristlet¡±, a token of their unity with other Chinese host cities and Beijing in their meaningful work.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of EqCo, Ms Miranda Chiu, told the Volunteers their civic-mindedness in applying and enrolling as Volunteers attested to the belief that Hong Kong was not short of volunteers when the call was sounded.
She urged the Volunteers to uphold the principles of making the Olympics a ¡°people¡¯s games¡±, ¡°green games¡± and ¡°high-tech games¡±.
The Volunteers were also given talks on the various spheres of functional areas by respective leaders and being shown videos of the equestrian sport and competition venues.
Following today¡¯s launch, the trainer-volunteers will also undergo some 80 hours¡¯ training, including residential training, which will be held in Po Leung Kuk Holiday Camp in Sai Kung for two consecutive weekends in March.
These leadership training programs are tailored for Volunteers in Hong Kong by expert trainers with Olympic experience from the Department of Education and Training of the Government of New South Wales in Australia.
Experienced Volunteers who served in previous Olympics will give talks to the Volunteers.
A spokesman for EqCo reminded those interested in becoming Volunteers to apply at the Company¡¯s website at www.equestrian2008.org.
Ends/Saturday, February 24, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:32
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