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Developing Hong Kong as a city of culture and the arts would help attract worldwide talent to live, work and do business here, Chief Secretary for Administration Mr Rafael Hui said today (November 9).
Speaking at the Asian Cultural Ministers' Meeting of Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum 2006 today, Mr Hui said support for the arts and culture was an important investment in community-building and development.
"If we are to continue to attract worldwide talent to Hong Kong, we need to offer not just exciting prospects, cutting-edge technology and world-class communications and infrastructure, but also a city with the appropriate cultural atmosphere," he said.
"Studies show that creativity spurs economic growth. Cultural and creative industries play a major role in building and sustaining economically vibrant communities. They serve as magnets to attract businesses and their employees, and stimulate cultural tourism."
Mr Hui said many governments in modern cities devoted substantial resources to building up world-class cultural facilities, including museums and performing arts venues.
"They nurture and groom artistic talent, supporting the development of creative industries. They also promote public participation in the arts," he said.
"Public participation and engagement not only empower our people, but also provide room for artistic creation and promote diversified cultural development. The partnership between the arts and business contributes to economic development and also the social fabric and enlightenment of society.
"There are increasing studies affirming that arts and cultural participation has a positive effect on social capital, which measures the degree of social cohesion, trust and reciprocity that holds a society together," Mr Hui said.
"And there is increasing evidence to show that social capital and social cohesion are critical to the economic prosperity and sustainable development of a society."
At present, Hong Kong has more than 1,000 performing arts groups that stage more than 10,000 varied performances each year. There is also a large number of visual artists producing artworks that are as varied as their creators.
Hong Kong initiated the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum in 2003 to foster regional co-operation. It brings together policy-makers, leaders, creative entrepreneurs and international celebrities in the arts field to share ideas, thoughts and good practices in the promotion of culture, the arts and creative industries.
Ends/Thursday, November 9, 2006
Issued at HKT 11:01
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