LCQ5: Publicity for National Games and National Special Olympic Games
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Question:
This year, the 15th National Games (NG) and the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NGD and NSOG) will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) how the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) will collaborate with relevant government departments and organisations to publicise NG, NGD and NSOG;
(2) of the plans of the CSTB and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to step efforts to attract Mainland and overseas visitors to Hong Kong for watching the tournaments of NG, NGD and NSOG; and
(3) given that the 2025 Legislative Council General Election will be held immediately after the NG, how the Government will integrate the publicity efforts of the NG and the Legislative Council General Election so that the two mega events can mutually foster with each other; what is the current progress and timetable of the relevant work?
Reply:
President,
The NG, NGD and NSOG, to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time, will be held from November 9 to 21, 2025 and from December 8 to 15, 2025 respectively. The CSTB is committed to enhancing public awareness of and interest in the NG, NGD and NSOG through multi-channel publicity, including the use of traditional media, social media, city dress-up, roving exhibitions, as well as collaborations with community organisations, sports associations and schools.
Our publicity strategies are rolled out in three stages. The first stage started in end-2024 to enhance public awareness of the NG, NGD and NSOG. The second stage, running from January to July this year, aims to foster a welcoming atmosphere for the Games in Hong Kong, including the launch of those photo-taking spots featuring the mascots Xiyangyang and Lerongrong. The third stage will start from August this year to significantly boost the popularity and participation of the NG, NGD and NSOG, including the organisation of the 100-day countdown, torch relay and the Sport For All Day, as well as other enhanced promotional efforts like city-dress-up initiatives.
Our reply to Hon Chan Yung's question is as follows:
(1) The CSTB is working with various relevant government bureaux/departments and organisations to carry out publicity. Highlights include:
(i) launching publicity campaign jointly with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department for the athlete selection sessions for the mass participation events of the NG, NGD and NSOG under the theme of "I want to join the National Games" (「我要上全運」), and taking the opportunity to promote the two mass participation events organised by Hong Kong, namely Bowling and Para Dance Sport;
(ii) launching Announcements in the Public Interest and special programmes through the Information Services Department (ISD) and Radio Television Hong Kong respectively, covering local athletes, Mainland competition events and preparations of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the Games. The ISD also assisted in publicity in the Mainland and overseas, including promotion through social media and digital platforms in the Mainland as well as advertisements in overseas media;
(iii) joining hands with the Home Affairs Department and the Education Bureau to conduct community engagement activities in all 18 districts across the territory and diversified promotional activities in schools, with a view to widely publicising the events both in the community and in schools;
(iv) beautifying the cityscape in areas around the competition venues in collaboration with the Highways Department to infuse the community with elements of the NG, NGD and NSOG. Besides, we co-organised the Architectural Installation Design Competition for the 2025 National Games in Hong Kong with the Hong Kong Institute of Architects; and
(v) collaborating with various organisations and groups, including the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, the China Hong Kong Paralympic Committee, the Hong Kong Sports Institute, related national sports associations and the HKTB, to include elements of the NG, NGD and NSOG in their events.
(2) Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will deploy the same ticketing platform. The Guangdong Provincial Executive Committees for the NG, NGD and NSOG is actively working on the ticketing policies and the system setup. Upon confirmation of the ticketing arrangements, the CSTB will collaborate with the tourism industry to design various tourism products, with a view to attracting Mainland and overseas spectators and visitors. As for the Mainland market, the HKTB will target at sports enthusiasts by carrying out publicity work on related social media and other forms of media.
(3) On December 7 this year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will hold the 8th Legislative Council General Election. Given the relevance of this election to the successful and robust implementation of the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" and good governance and long-term stability of the HKSAR, the Government attaches great importance to the successful organisation of this election, the NG, NGD and NSOG, and is determined to carry out related publicity and promotion works well, striving to achieve extensive publicity effect. Currently, relevant Government bureaux and departments are actively considering the co-ordination arrangements for taking forward the publicity of these two major events, and will announce any specific arrangement at a later stage.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:40
Issued at HKT 16:40
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