XN000022-1986-01-19 — Page 13

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 1986

+YET, THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE WELL IN KEEPING WITH THE CHARACTER OF VAN CHAI-VITAL AND DYNAMIC, IT IS A DISTRICT OF CHANGE,+ SAID MR WIGGHAM.

+ I AM PLEASED TO SEE HOW WELL WAN CHAI HAS RESPONDED TO CHANGE AND PARTICULARLY THE WIDE SUPPORT GIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY TO THE EVER-EVOLVING DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME.

+COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS, IN FACT, THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE DISTRICT FOR THAT IS HOW ITS RESIDENTS DEVELOP THEIR SENSE OF DISTRICT IDENTITY AND FAMILIARITY WITH LOCAL ISSUES, AND HOW THEY CAN BEGIN TO WORK FOR THE GOOD OF THE DISTRICT.+

HE ALSO PRAISED THE WAN CHA! DISTRICT BOARD, AREA COMMITTEES, DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR ORGANISING ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES FOR ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTICIPATION.

+THIS FESTIVAL SYMBOLISES THE DYNAMISM OF WAN CHAI DISTRICT AND THE ENERGY OF ITS PEOPLE, AND ALSO GIVES THE COMMUNITY A SENSE OF PRIDE IN WHAT THEY HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR,+ MR WIGGHAM SAID.

ALSO SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WAN CHAI FESTIVAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE, MR LEE KON, SAID THE AIM OF THE FESTIVAL WAS TO EMPHASISE THE DISTRICT'S CHARACTERISTICS THROUGH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES SO THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD HAVE A BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF WAN CHAI,

+ IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT LOCAL RESIDENTS AND ORGANISATIONS WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND HELP CULTIVATE A SENSE OF BELONGING, HE SAID.

WAN CHAI DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRPERSON, MRS PEGGY LAM THANKED VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, LOCAL ORGANISATIONS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN LAUNCHING THE FESTIVAL.

TODAY'S PROGRAMME INCLUDED A COLOURFUL FLOAT PARADE,

BAND PERFORMANCES AND SINGING BY THE WAN CHAI CHILDREN'S CHOIR, THE HIGHLIGHT WAS A VARIETY SHOW FEATURING TVB PERFORMERS.

PART OF THE OPENING CEREMONY WILL BE TELECAST ON TVB'S +ENJOY YOURSELF TONIGHT+ SHOW TOMORROW (MONDAY).

THE FESTIVAL IS ORGANISED BY THE WAN CHAI DISTRICT BOARD AND THE WAN CHAI FESTIVAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE, AND SUPPORTED BY THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND THE URBAN COUNCIL. ACTIVITIES DURING THE 10-DAY FESTIVAL INCLUDE COMPETITIONS, SPORTS EVENTS, AN EXHIBITION, AND A NUMBER OF CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES, MOST OF WHICH ARE FREE-OF-CHARGE.

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