XN000022-1979-06-23 — Page 9

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SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1979

IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN NEW TOWNS STRESSED

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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS TO PROMOTE CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AMONG LOCAL RESIDENTS IS IMPORTANT IN THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TOWN, THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

ADDRESSING THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF NEW OFFICE BEARERS OF THE TUEN MUN ARTS PROMOTION ASSOCIATION AT ST. SIMON LUI MING CHOI SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOL, MR. AKERS-JONES SAID THERE WERE NOW ABOUT 62,000 PEOPLE IN TUEN MUN TOWN WHERE DEVELOPMENT WAS SCATTERED AND THE TOWN CENTRE HAD NOT YET BEEN FULLY DEVELOPED.

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+HOWEVER, + HE SAID

+ HE SAID, IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT ORGANISATIONS SUCH AS THE TUEN MUN ARTS PROMOTION ASSOCIATION ARE ESTABLISHED AT THIS EARLY STAGE IN THE DEVELOPMENT, AND GROW AS THE TOWN GROWS.+

THEY WERE TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN IMPROVING THE CULTURAL STANDARD OF THE NEW TOWN BY ENCOURAGING LOCAL MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS, AND ORGANISING ORCHESTRAS AND BANDS, DANCING CLASSES, CAMERA CLUBS AND FILM SOCIETY, HE ADDED.

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MR. AKERS-JONES NOTED THAT THE TUEN MUN ARTS PROMOTION ASSOCIATION FORMED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO HAD SINCE ITS

INCEPTION PROVIDED THE LOCAL POPULATION WITH A WIDE RANGE OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES WHICH WERE WELL RECEIVED AND APPRECIATED.

THESE ACTIVITIES RANGED FROM OPERA SHOWS TO EXHIBITIONS AND COMPETITIONS, MOST OF WHICH WERE ORGANISED WITH THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OF THE TUEN MUN DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD AND SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

IN ADDITION, COURSES ON CANTONESE OPERA, CHINESE MUSIC, FOLK DANCES AND SINGING WERE ALSO RUN TO ENRICH THE CULTURAL LIFE OF LOCAL RESIDENTS AND CULTIVATE THE IR INTERESTS IN ART.

+THERE IS SO MUCH WORK TO BE DONE THAT YOU MUST ENSURE THAT YOU BRING NEW MEMBERS INTO YOUR ASSOCIATION AND COMMITTEE AS THE TOWN EXPANDS, SAID MR. AKERS-JONES WHO LATER PRESENTED LETTERS OF APPOINTMENT TO THE NEW OFFICE BEARERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.

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