XN000022-1994-03-17 — Page 8

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1994

"IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR OWN CULTURAL HERITAGE AND THAT OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD, STRENGTHENING,

TRUST. MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, SHE SAID.

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WE

SHE PRAISED PRIVATE COLLECTORS FOR LENDING THEIR MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION ΤΟ

THE EXHIBITION, WHICH GAVE PLEASURE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,

"IT WILL. ALSO BE TRAVELLING TO OTHER COUNTRIES AFTERWARDS, GIVING PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE TREASURES CHINESE CULTURE," SHE ADDED.

OF

MRS PATTEN OPENS FLOWER SHOW

HONG KONG'S PREMIER FLORAL EXTRAVAGANZA,

THE 1994 HONG KONG

FLOWER SHOW, WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED BY MRS PATTEN TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY, MRS PATTEN SAID THE ANNUAL FLOWER SHOW, JOINTLY PRESENTED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL AND REGIONAL COUNCIL, HAD BECOME A MAJOR POPULAR EVENT. ATTRACTING OVER 300,000 VISITORS BOTH LOCALLY AND FROM OVERSEAS.

"IN A CITY LIKE HONG KONG WHERE SPACE IS LIMITED AND FEW PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO HAVE GARDENS OF THEIR OWN, IT IS ASTONISHING THE GREAT INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM THERE IS EVERY YEAR FOR THE HONG FLOWER SHOW," MRS PATTEN SAID.

"BUT PERHAPS ITS POPULARITY IS NOT SO STRANGE.

KONG

"WHETHER PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR OWN GARDENS OR NOT, THEY STILL ENJOY WALKING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, IN OUR PARKS AND PUBLIC GARDENS AND STILL APPRECIATE THE FLOWERS, SHRUBS AND TREES WITH THEIR BEAUTIFUL SCENTS AND COLOURS THAT THEY SEE THERE, SHE CONTINUED.

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MRS PATTEN NOTED THAT WITHOUT THE WORK OF THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD NOT HAVE THE VARIETY OF BEAUTIFULLY MAINTAINED OPEN SPACES TO ENJOY.

COMMENTING ON THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S SHOW "FLORAL ELEGANCE OF OUR GREAT CITY" MRS PATTEN SAID IT WAS A MOST APPROPRIATE THEME "AS THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ARE DETERMINED ΤΟ GREEN OUR CITY ENVIRONMENT BY PLANTING MORE TREES AND FLOWERING PLANTS, AND MAKE HONG KONG A BETTER AND MORE BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE."

·

GIVING A VOTE OF THANKS, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE URBAN COUNCIL DR RONALD LEUNG DING-BONG NOTED THAT VISITORS TO THIS YEAR'S FLOWER SHOW COULD SEE MANY BEAUTIFUL DISPLAYS OF TOPIARIES AND A COLLECTIVE DISPLAY OF DIFFERENT SPECIES OF THE THEME FLOWER, THE CHINESE HIBISCUS, IN ADDITION TO A WIDE RANGE OF EXOTIC FLORA.

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"THIS YEAR, THE FLOWER SHOW IS FURTHER ENRICHED WITH MANY MORE INTERESTING EDUCATIONAL AND FRINGE ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS TALKS AND DEMONSTRATIONS ON HORTICULTURE AND FLORAL ART ARRANGEMENTS.

/"CHILDREN WILL