New Year‧New World – Hong Kong Countdown Celebrations Set Hong Kong Night Sky and Victoria Harbour Ablaze
![](https://webmedia.nwd.com.hk/drupal/sites/default/files/styles/galleria_zoom/public/2013121053068629.JPG?itok=7bNr962h "Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region The Hon C Y Leung and Mrs Leung (third and second right), HKTB Chairman The Hon James Tien (third left), Commissioner for Tourism Mr Philip Yung (far right), Chairman and Executive of New World Development Company Limited Dr Henry Cheng (second left) and Executive Director and Joint General Manager of New World Development Company Limited Mr Adrian Cheng (far left) launch the pyrotechnic show in the "New Year‧New World – Hong Kong Countdown Celebrations".")
Hong Kong's famous Victoria Harbour and skyline were illuminated in spectacular fashion just past midnight today (1 January 2013) during an eight-minute pyrotechnic show in the "New Year‧New World - Hong Kong Countdown Celebrations". Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and title-sponsored by New World Development Company Limited, the event was launched by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region(SAR) The Hon C Y Leung and Mrs Leung, HKTB Chairman The Hon James Tien, Commissioner for Tourism of the Hong Kong SAR Government Mr Philip Yung, Chairman and Executive of New World Development Company Limited Dr Henry Cheng, and Executive Director and Joint General Manager of New World Development Company Limited Mr Adrian Cheng.
With the theme "New Year‧New World", this year's countdown event was the biggest-ever in scale since the HKTB introduced the "Hong Kong Countdown Celebrations" six years ago. A total of seven buildings were involved in the show, including six on Hong Kong Island and K11 in Tsim Sha Tsui, with the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) as the pivot. For the first time in the event's history, both sea- and land-based pyrotechnics were launched, producing spectacular effects.
Before the show began, "shooting stars" were launched from the rooftops of the six buildings on Hong Kong Island every 15 minutes starting from 11pm, symbolising good career prospects, good health, fortune and love. During the final 10 seconds of 2012, spectators on both sides of Victoria Harbour joined in a mega countdown, following a timer on an LED screen on the HKCEC, while number pyrotechnics shot from the rooftops of the other five buildings in Wan Chai.
As the clock struck midnight, the crowds greeted the New Year with cheers and laughter, and a large-scale pyrotechnic musical commenced. Fireworks were launched in three tiers - first from Victoria Harbour, then from the HKCEC, and finally from the rooftops of the remaining five buildings in Wan Chai - in tandem with tailor-made theme music. The special sound effects of the pyrotechnics, which simulated firecrackers and whistles, turned the volume full blast, with numerous search lights on both sides of the harbour and a laser beamed from K11 enhancing the visual stimulation.
The spectacle was enjoyed not just by the on-site spectators, but also by audiences around the world, as the HKTB shared a live satellite feed of the event with major international media to maximise publicity and exposure for Asia's World City.
New World Development Company Limited
New World Development Company Limited ("The Group"; Stock Code: 17.HK) is a leading conglomerate based in Hong Kong. The Group was founded in 1970 and publicly listed in Hong Kong in 1972. It is a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index with a total asset value of HK$286.3 billion as at 30 June 2012.
For more than four decades, the Group has expanded from a single focus on the property business to four core areas: property, infrastructure, services and department store. As at 30 June 2012, the Group has an effective interest of approximately 60.7% in NWS Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 659.HK), approximately 69.9% in New World China Land Limited (Stock Code: 917.HK) and approximately 72.3% in New World Department Store China Limited (Stock Code: 825.HK).