The Hong Kong English Festival 2007 opened here Sunday, and 20 overseas and local language education experts were invited to showcase to schools novel ways of learning English.

The annual event will feature language activities including " English Tree: A Symbol of Creative Writing", "Journey Overseas with Poetry", and "Speak Up, Speak Out: Public-Speaking Training Program".

Other activities that provide students a relaxing and fun English-speaking environment include "English Language Camp and English Language Camp Leader Training Program", "Professor Paws Pet Cadet English Learning Program" and "Rugby English Active Learning".

A TV program will also be produced to share ways to help motivate students' interest in learning English outside the classroom.

The TV program is expected to be on air at 11.05 p.m. on TVB Jade on Thursdays from May 17 through June 7.

Artistes Ivana Wong and Matthew Ko have been appointed as English Festival 2007 Ambassadors. The festival will run to June 7.