Other Information Elderly Commission Invitation for the Nominations of Birthday Greetings to Centenarians in Hong Kong Purpose To promote the positive image of ageing and as a sign of respect to centenarians, the Chairman of the Elderly Commission and the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food will be pleased to send birthday greetings to Hong Kong residents who are 100 years old or over. Background 2. According to the 2001 Hong Kong Population Census, the estimated number of Hong Kong residents aged 100 or over is 697, a 57% increase over the 445 in the 1996 By Census.  The number of residents in Hong Kong reaching 100 years old is estimated to be about 300 each year. Birthday Greetings to Centenarians in Hong Kong 3. The sending of birthday greetings by the Chairman of the Elderly Commission and the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food to Hong Kong residents on reaching 100 years old upon the receipt of such a request will take immediate effect.  For Hong Kong residents who are already 100 years old or over, they will also be sent the birthday greetings.  After issuance of the first message, subsequent greetings will be sent on the 105th and subsequent birthdays. 4. We now invite members of the public, relevant government departments, providers of elder services, non-governmental and district organisations, etc. to put forward nominations of centenarians for the birthday greetings to the Secretariat of the Elderly Commission (by fax 2840 0467 or mail to the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, 19/F Murray Building, Garden Road, Hong Kong).  All nominations with accompanying proof of age (e.g. a photocopy of the nominee!|s Hong Kong Identity Card) will be considered.  For personal data protection purposes, proof of age documents will be destroyed after the issue of the greetings.  5. The birthday greetings would also be filed to facilitate the issuance of further greetings on the 105th and subsequent birthdays.  Publicity 6. To give wider publicity to this initiative, we will re-circulate our invitation to the concerned organizations and agencies at regular intervals. Enquiries 7. For enquiries, please e-mail bmspoon@hwfb.gov.hk,  fax to 3150 8993 at or mail to Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, 19/F Murray Building, Garden Road, Hong Kong. Health, Welfare and Food Bureau July 2002