Promotion panel: Home Affairs Director Pamela Tan, Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Carrie Yau and Equestrian Company Chief Executive Officer Lam Woon-kwong unveil activities promoting the Olympics in Hong Kong.

Various Olympics-related activities will be organised to promote the spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play with themes of the Green Olympics and the People's Olympics, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau says.

Highlights include the 200-day and 100-day countdowns, Olympic Torch Relay in May and Olympic Live Sites activities in Hong Kong.

At a press briefing today Mrs Yau said in entering the 200-day countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the Olympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong on January 21 the Government and other sectors will be busy promoting the Olympic atmosphere.

To promote a Green Olympics beautifying and greening work projects will be conducted in 47 areas and rooftops from Victoria Park and Statue Square to the Sheung Shui public transport exchange.

For the Hong Kong Tree Planting Day 2008 at the end of March more than 3,000 participants will plant 10,000 trees in Pak Mong Village on Lantau Island. The plantation area will be named Olympic Green. A nearby trail will be named the Olympic Trail.

The Hong Kong Equestrian Company and the Jockey Club have also instilled green elements to equestrian competition venues like using green materials and re-usable energy.

People's Olympics

The People's Olympics is another concept promoted by the Beijing Olympic Games reflecting the Olympic spirit by advocating a culture of "sports for all" and integration of life, cultural education and public participation.

The Leisure & Cultural Services Department will hold the Vibrant Blossoms for Beijing Olympics March 14-24 in Victoria Park. Mascots of the Olympics and Paralympics made with the theme flower Gerbera will be displayed together with many Olympic-related exhibit and booths.

The department and the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, will organise the Schools Sports Education Programme in secondary, primary and special schools, including talks, seminars and exhibitions. Students will get a chance to talk with some elite local athletes.

Mrs Yau said the Government will promote community-wide participation in the Olympic celebration activities. It will encourage disabled people and the disadvantaged community to participate and promote the concepts of integration and equality as enshrined in the Paralympic Games.

Activities for the disabled and ethnic minorities will also be organised, like watching selected live Olympic competition events at the Olympic Live Sites and visits to the Equestrian Pavilion.