7.
Spring Breeze Pavilion opened
The Spring Breeze Pavilion at Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po, which is a memorial to the Pat Sin Leng hill fire last month, was officially opened today (Tuesday).
The convenor of the working group for the construction of the pavilion, Deputy Director of Education Mr T F Kwan, said that the Chinese characters of the name of the pavilion was handwritten by renowned artist, Ms Fang Zhaoling, mother of the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan.
Mr Kwan said that the name "Spring Breeze Pavilion" was adopted after taking into consideration the views of educators and members of the public.
Attending today's ceremony were the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, and Mrs Patten; the Chairman of the Board of Education, Dr Tam Man-kwan; the Chairman of the Professional Teachers' Union, Mr Cheung Man-kwong; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, Mr Yeung Yiu-chung; the Principal and teacher and student representatives of Hong Kong Chinese Women's Club Fung Yiu King Memorial Secondary School; and representatives from Sha Tin and Tai Po District Boards.
They were joined by Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joshua Law; the Director of Education, Mrs Helen C P Lai YU; the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr Lawrence Lee; and representatives from the Fire Services Department and district offices.
In the Chinese culture, the worthwhile mission of educators is often likened to spring breeze. The breeze also brings new life and hope to devastated vegetation.
Mr Kwan said: "After the hill fire at Pat Sin Leng, suggestions came from the Professional Teachers' Union, Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, the Board of Education, the working group for the Respect Our Teachers Campaign, other educators, the media and the public on commemorating the incident and ways to show support for families of the victims.
"These views were fully taken into consideration by a working group comprising the Education Department, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department, the Professional Teachers' Union and the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, which then decided to build a pavilion at the Nature Trail at Tai Mei Tuk, Pat Sin Leng Country Park,