“BrightenHK Campaign” Co-Organizer List
The Better Hong Kong Foundation, The Internet Professionals Association (iProA), The Outstanding Young Persons’ Association, and the World Trade Centres Association have jointly organized the BrightenHK Campaign. The campaign aims to unite Hong Kong people and boost confidence against the impact of SARS. (Severe Acute respiratory Syndrome) This campaign will optimise the use of the www.BrightenHK.org.hk portal to inform the world of accurate and positive information about Hong Kong, in order to re-enforce Hong Kong’s international image.
Mr. George Yuen, Chief Executive of the Better Hong Kong Foundation, said, “There are some of our overseas friends, political leaders and corporate CEOs who do not have an update picture of what Hong Kong is doing in combating SARS. We hope this campaign can help spread out to the world in order to enhance communication between Hong Kong and the international community, so as to rebuild our position in the world and help revive our economy.”
The BrightenHK Campaign has the support of over 20 local and overseas chambers of commerce in Hong Kong, as well as almost 200 business associations and non-governmental organizations. In the next few weeks, members of participating organizations will send out to their business associates and friends e-mails and e-cards promoting the portal. The portal describes Hong Kong’s hygiene condition, disease control measures, medical research and the economy revival activities will be presented to overseas countries with a comprehensive update on Hong Kong to avoid misunderstanding and dispel misconception.
The Convener of BrightenHK Campaign, President of iProA, Dr. Elizabeth Quat, said, “The borderless nature of the Internet is most desirable for organizing a worldwide promotion for Hong Kong. It is the most efficient and time critical way to spread out positive information and help neutralize the effects of negative reports about the SAR.”
“The participating NGOs and organizations will encourage their members to send e-cards overseas through www.BrightenHK.org.hk,” Dr. Quat added, “we expect 100,000 e-cards about Hong Kong’s work against SARS would be sent out in the first two weeks of the campaign. We shall keep a record of all browsers of our e-Cards in the database for future promotion of Hong Kong. We are confident in collecting over 10 million email accounts within 6 months.”
In the mean time, there will be a series of related activities to unite Hong Kong people to face up to atypical pneumonia. The general public will be encouraged to send e-cards overseas whilst the travel and commercial industries will call for overseas businessmen and tourists to come back to Hong Kong. There will be a slogan and essay competition to encourage active healthy living through positive thinking. ‘Born Again’ activity is to distribute bookmarks with aspiring messages from people who have recovered from such traumatic experiences. There will also be concerts by renowned musicians to rekindle the spirits of Hong Kong people.
“We hope the BrightenHK Campaign can help all of us in Hong Kong to be positive again about our future, and work together for a better environment, a better Hong Kong.” Said Mr. George Lung, Chairman of the Outstanding Young Person’s Association.
“As a member of the Hong Kong commercial sector, our association gives the full backing to the BrightenHK Campaign. We hope this can revitalize Hong Kong’s economy, and reenergize this international city.” Said Miss Annie Wu, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the World Trade Centres Association Hong Kong, which has 750,000 members in over 300 cities across the world.
This territory-wide promotion will be launched in two phases. The first phase will begin on 20 May 2003, which aims to actively spread positive and accurate information of Hong Kong about its combat on SARS. The second phase will start after the containment of the disease. This phase will concentrate on sending of a new round of e-mails and e-cards by members of participating organisations to invite overseas businessmen and tourists to visit Hong Kong.
“SARS has affected Hong Kong as an international commercial city. We hope that the campaign can rally strong public support in a very short time, so as to show to the rest of the world our unity and our commitment in building a better Hong Kong.” Concluded Mr. Yuen, CEO, Better Hong Kong Foundation.
Together We BrightenHK Online!
Background
The SARS outbreak has shaken our confidence in society and brought distance between people. This is partly attributable to the confusion and lack of positive information in the public media. If accurate and positive information can be consolidated by quality reporting and made available for easy access by the general public, local as well as overseas, then much of the fear will have proved unnecessary although proper precaution is still indispensable.
We need to bring the complete picture to the general public so that people can judge for themselves how they can lead an active yet healthy life under the circumstances and hence have their confidence restored.
The “BrightenHK Campaign” aimed at addressing this need with actions for economic recovery of Hong Kong through global network online promotion. Initiated by the Internet Professionals Association (iProA) together with The Outstanding Young Persons’ Association, with the support of The Better Hong Kong Foundation and the World Trade Centers Association. It is proposed that a portal be built as the centre stage of a global promotion campaign for Hong Kong. It will bring together SARS related news worldwide and links to all relevant resources – medical advice, social support, psychiatric consulting, messages from relevant government departments and associations. A series of programmes will be launched along with the portal to encourage participation by the general public so that they can bring the message of healthy active living home.
The Campaign will encourage attention towards what Hong Kong people have learned and gained in this experience rather than focus on the unfortunate loss of life, stress on the economy or constrains on personal freedom more commonly found in the public media. We believe that this is the best time to recreate our values, rebuild our confidence and reposition Hong Kong. We have to well prepare ourselves for the recovery and lead a healthier life.
Campaign Objectives
– Make use of the powerful Internet Community to conduct a massive yet cost effective public relations programme to bring Hong Kong people closer together in a joint effort to fight SARS and its aftermath
– Broadcast facts and positive news about Hong Kong to the international communities
– Dismiss rumors and uncertainties
– Help create positive views
– Strengthen international visitors’ confidence in Hong Kong
– Attract tourists and business visitors back to Hong Kong once we have recovered
– Encourage People of Hong Kong to recreate our values, rebuild our confidence and reposition Hong Kong to prepare for the recovery and lead a healthy life
Actions Planned
1. Campaign Slogan & Essay Student Competition – to encourage active healthy living through positive thinking
2. E-Card Across the Ocean – to promote Hong Kong people’s commitment and confidence to fight SARS to relatives/friends/co-workers abroad by sending e-card with positive messages
3.nbsp; NetCare Campaign – to boost the will of SARS patients and affected hospital staff by providing video conferencing facilities for easy visiting by their family
4. Born Again Bookmarks – distribute bookmarks with encouraging messages from people who recovered from traumatic experiences
5. BrightenHK Concerts – 8 Concerts by renounced musicians to raise the spirit of Hong Kong people. The concerts will also be broadcasted worldwide via the Internet so that more people will benefit from them.
6. Active 123 – to encourage healthy life style with sports activities
7. BrightenHK Online Promotion – to promote Hong Kong to overseas visitors in co-operation with travel related industries via email
We welcome ideas on how we can help speed up the recovery. Please forward your suggestions to the Campaign Convener, Dr. Elizabeth Quat, at (852) 2778 0040 or email eq@iproa.org.
Come join us in the work for a brighter tomorrow!
About The Better Hong Kong Foundation
The Better Hong Kong Foundation is a privately funded, non-profit, non-political organization, formed by leading Hong Kong business people to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as the leading regional, financial, shipping, trading, communication and technology center. The Foundation also serves to enhance greater international understanding between East and West by facilitating communications between Hong Kong, China and the international community.