XN000022-1983-10-17 — Page 2

MONY, OCTOBER 17, 1983

GOVERNOR STRESSES NEED FOR ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES

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THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG OWES MUCH TO THE ENTHUSIASM AND HARD WORK OF ITS PEOPLE BUT ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROSPERITY. THOUGH ESSENTIAL FOR A STABLE SOCIETY, CANNOT ALONE MEET HUMÁN NEEDS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE THIRD CONFERENCE OF COMMONWEALTH ARTS ADMINISTRATORS AT THE FURAMA HOTEL, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED EXPANSION OF ARTISTIC ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG, WITH GROWING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND APPRECIATION.

+WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO RESPOND TO THIS DEVELOPMENT AND WE SHALL DO ALL WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE THE CREATIVE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.

HONG KONG IS HOSTING THE THREE-DAY CONFERENCE, WHICH IS BEING ATTENDED BY 28 DELEGATES FROM 14 COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES. PREVIOUS CONFERENCES WERE HELD IN ENGLAND IN 1979 AND CANADA IN 1981.

SIR EDWARD SAID THE CONFERENCE IS BY NOW A WELL-ESTABLISHED BIENNIAL EVENT, WHOSE VIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS RESPECTED AND INFLUENTIAL AS ITS DELEGATES.

HE SAID THE CONFERENCE PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE FORUM FOR A WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSION ON THE ARTS, AND A RARE CHANCE FOR ARTS ADMINISTRATORS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE COMMONWEALTH TO SHARE THE IR

VIEWS.

+HONG KONG IS INDEED VERY HAPPY TO HOST THIS CONFERENCE. WE ARE KEEN TO LEARN, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE. WE ARE A PLACE WHERE THE CULTURES OF EAST AND WEST SUCCESSFULLY COMBINE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING OUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOU.+

EARLIER, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE, MR ALEX WU, SAID ALTHOUGH ARTS ADMINISTRATION COULD HARDLY BE CALLED A HIGHLY DEVELOPED PROFESSION HERE, THE PEOPLE WERE PROBABLY MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR A PROFESSIONAL APPROACH TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE ARTS THAN MOST SOCIETIES, AND MORE APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT AN ENLIGHTENED ADMINISTRATION COULD DO FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS.

+WE KNOW VERY WELL THAT IN HONG KONG ESPECIALLY, WHERE WE MUST LOOK AT ARTS ADMINISTRATION SO VERY MUCH FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES, THE TIME HAS COME FOR AN ENTIRELY PROFESSIONAL APPROACH.

+WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS WE SHALL BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE TRAINING OF OUR PEOPLE IN THE ARTS WITH EVERY PROSPECT OF REWARDING CAREERS, HE POINTED OUT.

MR WU ALSO READ OUT A MESSAGE FROM THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY-GENERAL, SIR SHRIDATH RAMPHAL WHO EXPRESSED HIS REGRETS AT BEING UNABLE TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE.

THE SECOND SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE WILL CONTINUE TOMORROW (TUESDAY).

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