Hong Kong Home Affairs Secretary Patrick Ho opened a three-day exhibition -- "Hong Kong -- Asia's world city and Sports Events Capital" in Athens, according to a government press release on August 15.

Co-organized by the Home Affairs Bureau and Hong Kong's Sports Federation & Olympic Committee, the exhibition highlights Hong

Kong as the host city for the 2009 East Asian Games and as a training base for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Having overseas top athletes to conduct their pre-Olympic training in Hong Kong will not only bring economic benefits to us

but, more importantly, provide a strong impetus for the development of a sustainable sporting culture in the community,"

Ho said.

The exhibition also promotes Hong Kong as a capital for major sporting events, competitions, business and sports-related

exhibitions and conferences. It will continue until August 16 at Divani Caravel Hotel in Athens, targeting leaders of international

sports organizations, sports events planners and countries that may conduct training in Asia for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the

2009 Hong Kong East Asian Games, he said.

Sports Federation President and Olympic Committee head Timothy Fok also officiated at the exhibition.

Ho is in Athens to support the Hong Kong Olympic delegation which is taking part in 10 sports. The delegation attended the

Hong Kong flag-raising ceremony at the Olympic Village Saturday.

Source: Xinhua