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provision of high quality and diversified art and cultural programmes. More importantly, we must also provide adequate education on art and culture. It is only through education that 'sustainable development' of art and cultural activities can be achieved effectively in the long-run.
In recent years, the term 'sustainable development' often reminds us of something relating to environmental protection. It is true that if human beings do not protect and take good care of the environment and prevent further pollution, man's sustainable development on earth, and even their existence, may be at risk. How to better protect and landscape the environment certainly fall under the schedule of business of the Department and the Council. But I am not going to talk about these matters today. I only wish to borrow the concept of 'sustainable development' and apply it to the development of culture and art in Hong Kong. I am of the view that, in addition to providing high quality and diversified art and cultural programmes for members of the public, the more important steps are to further widen the audience base and develop audience networks, especially the network of student audience, if we wish to achieve sustainable development of art and culture in Hong Kong.
Over the years, the Department and the Council have organized various educational activities and programmes on culture and art for the education sector, and have made significant contribution to improve the understanding of art and culture among students, arouse their interest in high quality art and cultural works and cultivate their appreciation thereof. However, I understand that what we have done so far for all these purposes seem to focus mainly on primary and secondary students and comparatively little has been done for university students.
The 8 universities have been making earnest efforts to promote culture and art in their 'general education' programmes and have stressed the importance of learning culture and art for the undergraduates with a view to inspiring them to give higher regard to these areas. However, the universities need the support and coordination of various sectors of the community, particularly the USD and UC, in the design and implementation of suitable art and cultural programmes in order to achieve maximum results. I therefore think that the Department and the Council should strengthen co-operation and co-ordination with the 8 universities to provide more tailor-made cultural and art programmes and activities for undergraduates. Meanwhile, we should establish effective communication channels and systems with the universities and adopt systematic measures to ensure the various cultural and art programmes and activities organized by the PUC can meet the needs of those undergraduates taking cultural and art subjects. Such coordination is also conducive to enhancing sustainable development of PUC's cultural and art activities, because, given some 53,000 undergraduates in our 8 universities, this student population could be the potential audience and participants of our cultural and art programmes and shall continue to be so in the years after graduation.
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