ENG-2005 — Page 449

Chapter 19

Recreation, Sport and the Arts

Hong Kong people work hard and play hard, spending their leisure time at a wide variety of recreational, sports and cultural venues. And there is entertainment to suit every taste from international arts festivals and home-grown dance and drama to tai chi in the park and soccer tournaments.

Recreation, sport and the arts provide opportunities for the people of Hong Kong to improve the quality of their lives. The Government aims to nurture an environment in which creative freedom, a pluralist approach to the development of the arts, sporting excellence and recreation for the community can thrive.

The Government's policies on sport, recreation, culture and heritage matters are coordinated by the Home Affairs Bureau. A number of expert bodies have contributed to the development of these policies, including the Hong Kong Sports Development Board, which was replaced by the Hong Kong Sports Institute in October, 2004, the former Culture and Heritage Commission, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the Antiquities Advisory Board, which are both statutory bodies.

The Sports Institute, an incorporated body, is part of a new administrative structure for sports development with a particular focus on high-performance sports training. In January, the Government also established the Sports Commission to advise on all sport development matters in Hong Kong. The commission, in turn, is advised by the Elite Sports Committee, the Major Sports Events Committee and the Community Sports Committee which it oversees. The new administrative structure marks an important milestone for sports development in Hong Kong.

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is responsible for promoting and developing recreation and sport at the community level. It coordinates the provision of high-quality recreational and sports facilities and supports and organises training programmes and sports competitions to help identify talented individuals and improve sports standards.

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