XN000022-1976-11-10 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1976.

GOVERNOR OPENS FESTIVAL OF ASIAN ARTS

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, THIS EVENING PAID SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE CITY HALL FOR PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS IN HONG KONG.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL OF ASIAN ARTS AT THE CITY HALL IN WHICH HE WELCOMED THE VISITING ARTISTS AND ORGANISERS, SIR MURRAY SAID THE CONCEPT OF HONG KONG AS A CULTURAL CENTRE WAS BEGINNING TO EMERGE.

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+ IN RECENT YEARS WE HAVE SEEN A GREAT INCREASE IN INTEREST IN THE ARTS IN HONG KONG AND IN THIS, THE CITY HALL HAS PLAYED A MAJOR PART,' HE SAID.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

+THIS EVENING WE BEGIN SOMETHING NEW IN HONG KONG, A FESTIVAL OF ASIAN ARTS.

+ IN RECENT YEARS WE HAVE SEEN A GREAT INCREASE IN INTEREST IN THE ARTS IN HONG KONG AND IN THIS CITY, THE CITY HALL HAS PLAYED A MAJOR PART. THE IMPLICATIONS FOR

THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE LARGER HALL PLANNED FOR TSIMSHATSUI ARE OBVIOUS.

+WE HAVE SEEN THE INCEPTION OF NUMEROUS ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE ARTS, THE ESTABLISHMENT ON A FIRM BASIS OF OUR OWN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR OWN BALLET, AND AN ARTS CENTRE NEARING COMPLETION.

+WE HAVE FOLLOWED WITH JUSTIFIABLE PRIDE THE SUCCESSES OF OUR YOUTH ORCHESTRA, CHILDREN'S CHOIR, AND YOUNG DANCERS IN THE IR PERFORMANCES ABROAD, TOGETHER WITH THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MANY TALENTED YOUNG INDIVIDUALS STUDYING OVERSEAS.

+ABOVE ALL MANY MORE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, AT ALL INCOME LEVELS, ARE FINDING A NEW SOURCE OF INTEREST AND ENJOYMENT.

+THANKS TO THE ENERGY AND ENTERPRISE OF ALL THE COMMITTEES AND ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE ARTS, THE CONCEPT OF HONG KONG AS A CULTURAL CENTRE IS BEGINNING TO EMERGE.

+ IN THIS PROCESS THE URBAN COUNCIL HAS PLAYED ITS ALLOTTED ROLE WITH IMAGINATION, ENTHUSIASM AND LEADERSHIP.

+ IN ADDITION TO THE SUPPORT OF THE PHILHARMONIC AND A WIDE PROGRAMME OF EVENTS ALL OVER HONG KONG, IT HAS GIVEN MAJOR AND INVALUABLE BACKING TO THE ANNUAL HONG KONG FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS, WHICH HAS BEEN BOTH THE FOCUS AND THE STIMULANT OF SO MUCH OF THIS NEW BURGEONING OF ARTISTIC EFFORT AND WE ARE NOW INDEBTED TO THE COUNCIL FOR INVITING TO HONG KONG THIS NEW EVENT, THIS FESTIVAL OF ASIAN ARTS.

+1 EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO ALL THE ARTISTS AND ORGANISERS WHO WILL BE WITH US DURING THIS EXCITING WEEK AND HAVE GREAT PLEASURE IN DECLARING OPEN THE FESTIVAL OF ASIAN ARTS.+

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