Language proficiency is key to staging Beijing Olympics successfully

27 February 2008

The Club is continuing its support in 2008 for ''The AIA Quest for the Champion Communicator Competition'' which aims to raise the language proficiency of tertiary students in Hong Kong and Mainland China.  This is the third year the Club has sponsored this meaningful event.

The first round of this year's competition took place in Hong Kong on 24 February.  Attending as a Guest of honour, Club Executive Director of Corporate Development Kim Mak, told the audience that communication was critical to Hong Kong's successful staging of the 2008 Olympic equestrian events.  ''Although the participants at a recent equestrian conference in Switzerland unanimously agreed that Hong Kong had the best-ever venues and facilities, we also require high-standard software to complement the hardware,'' Mak explained.  ''Language proficiency is definitely a key to success in effective communication.''

At the end of the competition, Mak presented trophies to three students who have each won entry tickets to the final round in Beijing next month.  ''Beijing and Hong Kong have long been cities with a close relationship and this year is particularly of interest as Beijing will host the first Olympic Games in China while Hong Kong co-hosts the equestrian events,'' Mak observed, congratulating the winners and wishing them good luck in Beijing.