Let's celebrate: Assistant Director of Information Services Paul Brown (back, left) opens the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's 10th anniversary photo contest exhibition with guests and children.

Winning entries of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's 10th anniversary photo contest are on display at the Kowloon-Canton Railway Art Corner in East Tsim Sha Tsui Station until the end of June to showcase the city's achievements in the past decade.

Opening the exhibition today, Assistant Director of Information Services Paul Brown said the contest attracted 2,300 entries which offered varied glimpses of Hong Kong and its people.

"The competition was the first community participation event in the series of programmes that have been organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary this year. It is fitting, therefore, that the winning photos are being used for the KCRC's first event to celebrate the anniversary.

"They showed the international nature of Hong Kong, as represented by our multi-cultural society. They showed the Hong Kong spirit and the people's love of a challenge, whether this be in dragon boat racing or wind surfing. They showed Hong Kong's avid observance of festivals, ranging from the New Year to Chinese New Year. They showed Hong Kong' unique landscape, with spectacular man-made structures against Hong Kong's natural beauty. And they showed examples of Hong Kong's new status under 'One country, two systems'," Mr Brown added.

He said an e-card lucky draw is being staged here until June 14. A choice of 12 e-cards is available and anyone who sends a card outside Hong Kong stands to win a return air ticket for themselves or a relative or friend between Hong Kong and any destination served by Cathay Pacific or DragonAir.

Free rides

Meanwhile, KCRC announced today children who were born in Hong Kong on July 1, 1997, will be entitled to a complimentary pass to enjoy unlimited rides on standard class on its network, except Racecourse Station and cross-boundary journeys, from July to December to celebrate the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's 10th anniversary. Children's parents or guardians must register them.

All senior citizens and children using Octopus cards can enjoy unlimited free rides on the KCRC network, except Racecourse Station and cross-boundary journeys, on July 1.

For children who were born in 1997 in Hong Kong, KCRC will offer free round trip rides on standard class on the KCRC network, except Racecourse Station and cross-boundary journeys, when visiting Ocean Park in July and August.

An array of activities ranging from community events and art-related initiatives will also be held in the coming months.

These include:

* taking under-privileged children to attend 10th anniversary celebration events, such as carnivals, parades, sports functions and museum exhibitions along the KCR alignment;

* decorating trains with winning designs of a train decoration design contest themed "10 years of momentum" and "My City, My Home"; and

* staging a two-day KCRC Lifeline Express Train exhibition on June 23 and 24.

More details will be available here. For questions, call the KCRC hotline, 2929 3399.