Gift bearing Western Australians follow Premier to Aichi World Expo

30/6/05
Premier Geoff Gallop today presented awards to Central TAFE and Curtin University students for designing merchandise to promote Western Australia at the Aichi World Expo in Japan.
Dr Gallop presented the awards at a pre-departure reception for Western Australians participating in the Aichi World Expo hosted by Mr Hiroyuki Ariyoshi, WA Consul-General of Japan.
Central TAFE's Erin Lovell and Nadia Warnock won a Department of Industry and Resources' (DoIR) sponsored design and packaging competition to create a gift box that WA students could present to their Japanese counterparts on Cultural Exchange Day at the expo.
Curtin University's Rachael Griffiths and Emily Wills won another competition to design a WA t-shirt suitable for Japanese and WA students.
The Premier will lead a WA delegation to Aichi from July 3-9 to participate in WA celebrations aimed at showcasing the State's uniqueness and highlighting its relationship with Japan. The delegation will also participate in a range of business matching meetings.
A more formal gift box has been designed for WA delegates on the various trade missions to give to the Japanese VIPs who attend functions at the expo and related business matching initiatives.
"Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Co-operation between our two nations," Dr Gallop said.
"Trade missions to Aichi this month, July and September will strengthen ties between WA and Japan with the involvement of companies from the State's information and communications technology, environmental technology, agribusiness, food, beverage and biotechnology sectors.
"The Aichi Expo presents an outstanding opportunity for Western Australians to profile their businesses, forge new trade and investment links and to strengthen and expand existing business ties between our State and Japan.
"Increasing trade and investment through active business liaison programs and raising WA's profile as an educational services provider are vital to our relationship with Japan."
Dr Gallop said WA's participation in the Aichi Expo was a welcome precursor to 2006 - the Year of Exchange between Australia and Japan.
DoIR has facilitated the Government's commitment to a strong State presence at the expo, with preparations for sector specific business missions to Aichi beginning last year.
The Premier said pavilion operators at the expo had selected a range of WA food and beverage companies to supply produce to the VIP section of the Australian Pavilion where the State would showcase its capabilities in a range of industries.
WA's presence at the expo would also include artists, musicians and others who would demonstrate the extraordinary talent of our local performers.
The expo opened on March 25 and continues until September 25 with industry representatives and others taking part in business matching programs, networking events, investment seminars and presentations at the Australian Pavilion in Aichi and elsewhere in Japan.
Premier's Office - 9222 9475
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