XN000022-1974-02-04 — Page 5

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Monday, February 4, 1974

GOVERNOR OPENS SECOND H.K. ARTS FESTIVAL

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The Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, today welcomed the Hong Kong

Arts Festival as "a stimulus and a catalyst" to stimulate for residents

and visitors alike the concept of Hong Kong as a cultural and artistic as

well as a commercial and tourist centre.

Sir Murray was speaking at the opening concert of the Second Hong

Kong Arts Festival by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the City Hall this

(Monday) evening.

He said the idea of the Festival was to build on the natural

advantages of Hong Kong as a meeting place of cultures and communications,

to offer the art of many cultures, in large and small events, but "all at the

highest level of excellense"..

The idea was to do this for the pleasure it would bring and for the

knowledge it would give of other cultures and to encourage people in Hong Keng

to widen their lives by enjoying or practising the arts, Sir Murray said.

Following is the full text of the Governor's speech:

Festival,

"Sir Kenneth, Ladies and Gentlemen:

"Tonight Hong Kong extends its welcome to the second Hong Kong Arts

"I would like to thank the many public and private organisations which

have supported this Festival and in particular the Urban Council, the Hong Kong

Tourist Association, British Airways and the Hong Kong Hotels Association, andi

all those who have taken part in the scheme to subsidise seats for students.

"I would