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Visitors to the Hong Kong Pavilion and Hong Kong's exhibition at the Urban Best Practices Area (UBPA) at World Expo 2010 Shanghai China (Shanghai Expo) reached the two million mark today (August 17).
The Commissioner of the HKSAR Expo Affairs Office, Mr Patrick Chan, said he and his colleagues were pleased and encouraged by the high number of visitors.
"The figure testifies to the popularity of Hong Kong's two pavilions," Mr Chan said.
The overall popularity of Shanghai Expo was also evident with total admissions exceeding 40 million on August 14.
"Since the operation of the two pavilions is running smoothly, our top priority now is to keep up the spirit of our team and continue to maintain a high level of service to our visitors so that they will have a pleasant and memorable experience.
"Looking forward, I think the highlight or the most exciting event to be staged by Hong Kong will have to be the five-day Hong Kong Week that will kick off at the Baosteel Stage in the Shanghai Expo Park on October 18. There will be an amazing array of performances by famous singers and performing groups, as well as other cultural events, especially during the opening ceremony on the morning of October 18."
Mr Chan commended the staff of the two pavilions and the volunteers for their hard work and dedication to maintaining a high level of service. The volunteers invariably said that they had enjoyed the experience.
Eighteen-year-old Janice Lam, the youngest volunteer at the Hong Kong Pavilion, said she had to respond quickly when she conducted opinion surveys with visitors during her stint at Shanghai Expo in July. But she said this had helped to improve her Putonghua.
Experienced volunteer Stephen Wong said he had enjoyed his time at Shanghai Expo and that he had made a lot of new friends in Shanghai.
Another Hong Kong volunteer, Annie Lam, said she was proud of the nation's achievement in organising such a mega event.
Throughout August, Hong Kong will continue to stage a variety of events and activities for Shanghai Expo under the theme for the month: "Cultural City".
A new thematic exhibition, "Passion for Hong Kong: Exhibition of Works by Professor Jao Tsung-i", opened at the atrium of the Hong Kong Pavilion yesterday (August 16) and will run until September 30. The exhibition gives visitors a unique impression of Hong Kong through the striking display of Chinese paintings and calligraphy by the eminent scholar Professor Jao Tsung-i.
Other events are also being held outside the Shanghai Expo Park. These include an exciting new exhibition – "A Better August (Communications, Product and Spatial Design)" to be launched tomorrow (August 18) at The Bridge 8 Phase III, 550 Jumen Road, Luwan District, Shanghai.
"A Better August (Communications, Product and Spatial Design)" is one of a series of exhibitions titled "A Better Tomorrow" that runs until October 3 and is one of the main thematic components of the Hong Kong Design Centre's six-month exhibition "Hong Kong: Creative Ecologies – Business, Living, Creativity".
Hong Kong's extensive participation in Shanghai Expo includes the construction and operation of the stand-alone Hong Kong Pavilion on the Pudong side of Shanghai Expo Park under the theme "Hong Kong - Potential Unlimited", and the case exhibition themed "Smart Card · Smart City · Smart Life" at the UBPA on the Puxi side of the Shanghai Expo Park. Netizens can also experience the city's virtual presence in the Expo Shanghai Online project.
Sixty events and activities involving some 100 performances are being staged by Hong Kong for Shanghai Expo to showcase the city as a modern, creative and interconnected metropolis.
Shanghai Expo opened on May 1 and runs until October 31. For more details on Hong Kong's participation in Shanghai Expo, please visit www.hkexpo2010.gov.hk .
Ends/Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:32
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