HKTDC Celebrates 50 Years of Enterprise in Hong Kong
15 May 2016 – The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. Since its establishment in 1966, the HKTDC has been creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s SMEs and promoting Hong Kong as a global business platform. With the theme of “Golden Jubilee • Golden Partnerships”, the HKTDC will roll out a series of activities and promotions from now until December, to share with the public and the business community five decades of extraordinary economic achievements driven by the city’s enterprising individuals.
Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, said, “For 50 years, the HKTDC has worked in close partnership with the local business community to contribute to Hong Kong’s economic development. This incredible journey has been made possible by the creativity and hard work of the people of Hong Kong. In celebrating our past achievements, we hope to continue this spirit of enterprise well into the future.
“Befitting our theme, we have chosen to launch our 50th anniversary programme at the Entrepreneur Day which was held on 13 and 14 May, continuing with a series of fun and interactive programmes throughout the next seven months until our grand finale at World SME Expo in December.”
Passing down the legacy of entrepreneurship
HKTDC’s 50th anniversary programme kicked off at Entrepreneur Day at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where additional prizes were awarded to winners of the Entrepreneur Arena start-up pitching competition. Co-organised with the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, this business-pitching competition for start-ups awarded three winners with the Entrepreneur Day Outstanding Start-up Award and cash prizes. They will also be invited for a one-on-one “Power Lunch” with either the current HKTDC Chairman Vincent HS Lo, or former chairmen Victor Fung or Jack So. Through this unique opportunity for exchange, the winners can gain valuable insights and obtain advice from the business leaders.
A dedicated 50th anniversary website will chronicle rare historic photos charting Hong Kong’s economic transformation through the eyes of the HKTDC, with numerous success stories of local enterprises in different sectors from different eras. The HKTDC will also create opportunities for the public, especially the younger generation, to engage with the Council through a variety of traditional and new media platforms.
Realising dreams through creativity
An interactive feature of the 50th anniversary website is “Snap A Story,” where the public is invited to add a motivational phrase denoting their interpretation of being an entrepreneur to a selfie photo. This photo can be uploaded and shared through the Internet or their mobile devices. Available in a range of languages, this web application provides a fun way for people in Hong Kong to choose their definition of entrepreneurial success and share it with friends around the world.
Stepping out of the business world and into the creative arena, the HKTDC will collaborate with the Cultural and Leisure Services Committee of the Wan Chai District Council, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong and Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service to launch a large-scale art jamming activity curated by internationally-acclaimed Hong Kong artist Simon Ma. This activity, to be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in July, will engage youngsters to collaborate and create an art piece under the theme of “Fly Together”, reflecting the notion that creativity has no boundaries. The completed art piece will be unveiled at the 50th anniversary grand finale event in December.
Reaching out & sharing our success with Hong Kong
To raise awareness about the HKTDC’s work, a range of community activities will be organised to engage the general public. The HKTDC’s Design Gallery, promoting original Hong Kong designs and designers, will roll out a number of 50th birthday shopping special offers to promote more innovative quality products from Hong Kong to consumers. In addition, games related to the Golden Jubilee will be hosted on HKTDC social media platforms, giving out prizes including Super Passes for Book Lovers for the Hong Kong Book Fair and entry tickets for the HKTDC Food Expo.
50th Anniversary Website: http://50.hktdc.com
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One of the many photos featured on the HKTDC’s 50th anniversary website shows a container truck that was converted into a mobile exhibition unit by the HKTDC to promote Hong Kong products to consumers in various locations across East Africa in 1967 |
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Under the theme “Golden Jubilee • Golden Partnerships”, the HKTDC is set to mark its 50th anniversary with a variety of activities to share with its stakeholders the achievements of Hong Kong enterprises through 50 years of remarkable economic development |
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Margaret Fong, Executive Director of the HKTDC, says that, in celebrating the past achievements of Hong Kong’s business community, the Council hopes to continue the city’s spirit of enterprise well into the future
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Winners of the Entrepreneur Day Outstanding Start-up Award are invited to a one-on-one “Power Lunch” with either the current HKTDC Chairman Vincent HS Lo (pictured) or former chairmen Victor Fung or Jack So, to gain top tips and unique insights into starting and running a successful business
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The HKTDC is launching a 50th anniversary website to share the HKTDC’s milestones and achievements, chronicled in a series of historic photos, as well as success stories of local enterprises in different sectors and different eras under the five themes of Succession, Upgrade and Transform, New Frontiers, Entrepreneurial Spirit and Knowledge Economy |
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An interactive “Snap A Story” feature of the 50th anniversary website invites people to upload photos of themselves and link them with selected motivational phrases, in different languages, that best reflect their own interpretation of the entrepreneurial spirit, such as “Dare to Dream”, “Committed” or “Can-do” |
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The HKTDC is collaborating with the Cultural and Leisure Services Committee under the Wan Chai District Council, the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong and Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service to launch a mega art jamming programme curated by Simon Ma, an internationally-acclaimed Hong Kong artist. This project will engage youngsters during their school summer vacation to create an art piece under the theme of “Fly Together”, reflecting the notion that creativity has no boundaries |
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Joe Kainz Tel: (852) 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc
About the HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.