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Following is the speech by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joseph W P Wong, at the "Hong Kong Vision" Photo Exhibition in Salzburg Seminar yesterday (June 28):

Chairman Huffington, President Robison, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am honoured to be here tonight as the officiating guest of the "Hong Kong Vision" Photo Exhibition, which shows the outstanding work of Mr Jean-Dominique Burton, a renowned Belgian photographer.

When we travel, we can use our eyes to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the road, to witness historic moments, to observe the life of ordinary people and to feel the diversity and prosperity of different places. All the things we see will form part of our memory. But if we wish to share these fond memories with others, many of us will use our camera. The photos taken can be part of the collective memories of a place, can be a historic record of an era, and can reflect the culture and life of a generation.

On this point, I must congratulate Mr Jean-Dominique Burton, who visited Hong Kong in 2001 and helped to record the vivid life of Hong Kong by his camera. From his photos, one can see the fusion of East and West, the vibrant economy, the cultural diversity of a crowded but highly efficient city, and the hustle and bustle way of life in Hong Kong. One can have a feeling of the way of life in this beautiful city.

As you may be aware, Hong Kong was affected by the SARS disease in the past few months. Now I am pleased to tell you that the epidemic is over and our life is back to normal again. When you visit Hong Kong, you will be received by smiling faces and can enjoy the cosmopolitan life of Hong Kong as usual, like what you see from the photos in this exhibition.

Now I invite all of you to enjoy this photo exhibition, so that you can also "open up" your eyes to have a touch of Hong Kong, Asia's World City.

Thank you very much.

End/Sunday, June 29, 2003

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