Let's celebrate!: Celebrations Coordination Office Director Raymond Young and Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Lam unveil details of the10th anniversary programme.

About 460 activities to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will roll out from April to December, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Lam says.

Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Mrs Lam said a "Name the Giant Pandas" activity will be held from April 2 to 11 to seek suggestions on the names for the two giant pandas which are due to arrive before May.

All Hong Kong residents are welcome to take part in the activity. The names should be meaningful and creative and reflect the young, lovely and vivacious characteristics of the giant pandas.

Entry forms are available from the Public Enquiry Service Centres of all 18 District Offices, Ocean Park and major Leisure & Cultural Services Department venues. The form may also be downloaded from the Home Affairs Bureau's website and the 10th Anniversary website.

National football team to play

Celebrations Coordination Office Director Raymond Young said there will be plenty of other celebration activities including ceremonial and celebratory events, commissioning of infrastructure projects, major exhibitions and conferences, and cultural, sports, community and district events.

A leading international football team and the Chinese national football team will play in Hong Kong to celebrate the handover anniversary, he added.

Apart from local celebrations, overseas Economic & Trade Offices and offices of the Hong Kong Government on the Mainland will also organise celebration activities and roving exhibitions.

The theme song for the 10th Anniversary entitled "Just Because You Are Here" will be broadcast on television and in radio as well as in major shopping malls. People are welcome to download the song from the 10th Anniversary website.

To add to the festive atmosphere of the 10th anniversary, special arrangements have been made to promote community participation in the anniversary celebrations.

The Leisure & Cultural Services Department will offer free admission to its museums, indoor sports facilities and swimming pools on July 1 and 2.

Children born in 1997 will also receive special offers from theme parks in Hong Kong and gift vouchers sponsored by commercial enterprises and coordinated by the Home Affairs Department.

To ensure under-privileged people have the opportunities to take part in the celebrations and share the joy, a socially inclusive programme - the "Celebrations for All" project - will be launched.

The project aims to help the under-privileged participate in events to share in the celebrations.

Commemorative souvenirs available

China Post and Hongkong Post will jointly issue commemorative stamps, the first ever Mainland-Hong Kong joint issue of stamps. Souvenirs, some designed by renowned local designers, will also be produced for distribution to the public, including a set of 10th anniversary figurines.

Each set comprises two panda and two 10-year-old child characters. All Hong Kong residents who have taken part in three celebration events in the events calendar will be eligible to take part in a lucky draw to get the figurines.