ENG-2009 — Page 451

Recreation, Sport and the Arts | 375

promote a sport-for-all concept and encourage people of all ages and from all walks of life to participate in sports and recreational activities.

The Environment

The LCSD has set out an extensive programme involving the planting of trees in parks, playgrounds and roadsides, implementing the Government's 'greening' policy. It also organises various educational and community activities aimed at increasing public awareness of the importance of environmentally friendly living.

The Arts

It is the Government's policy to provide an environment conducive to artistic expression and creation that encourages free participation in all aspects of cultural life.

The Government is committed to the preservation of local arts and culture. Cantonese opera was inscribed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity following a joint application made to it by the Guangdong, Macao Special Administrative Region and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region governments through the Central Government in Beijing. It is the first time for Hong Kong to have an item of world intangible cultural heritage.

Committees

Four committees for the performing arts, museums, libraries and Cantonese opera were established in 2004 to advise the Secretary for Home Affairs on policies and strategies for the development of arts and culture in Hong Kong.

Following a recommendation by the Committee on Performing Arts, the Government has since 2007 put all the major professional performing arts companies under one roof the Home Affairs Bureau as well as set up a Funding Committee for the Performing Arts to advise the bureau on funding for these companies. The LCSD also launched a partnership scheme for the department's venues in 2009.

The Government also introduced measures to improve the services and operation of the public museums, having regard to the recommendations put forward by the Committee on Museums.

On the recommendation of the Committee on Libraries, the Government set up a Public Library Advisory Committee to advise the Government on the overall development strategy for libraries.

The Cantonese Opera Development Fund, since its inception in 2005 up to the end of 2009, had provided financial support amounting to about $25 million to some 280 Cantonese opera projects.