The Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, attended the 2019 Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao Symposium on Built Heritage Reuse in Macao today (November 7).
 
     The symposium is co-organised by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Development Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region. This year's theme is "Community x Living x Revitalisation of Historic Buildings".
 
     Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Wong said that the Government has been adopting a multi-pronged strategy in promoting heritage conservation, including launching a number of historic building revitalisation projects, providing economic incentives and technical support to encourage the preservation of privately owned historic buildings, as well as stepping up promotion and education work.
 
     He added that the Government will continue to allocate more time and resources in working with the public to promote heritage conservation.
 
     Experts and academics from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao shared their work and experience on the protection and revitalisation of historic buildings at the symposium. They also exchanged views on the development and trends in heritage conservation. The three local projects presented by speakers from Hong Kong are the Tai Kwun - Centre for Heritage and Arts, the Tai O Heritage Hotel and the Maryknoll House.
 
     During his stay in Macao, Mr Wong also visited the Biblioteca do Patane to learn more about how a cluster of seven arcade buildings, built in the 1930s, were restored and revitalised into a public library. Opened at the end of 2016, Biblioteca do Patane preserved the architectural features of the old buildings, while providing more reading space for local residents.
 
     Representatives of Hong Kong at the symposium include those from the Development Bureau and the Antiquities and Monuments Office, members of the Advisory Committee on Built Heritage Conservation (ACBHC) as well as operators of historic buildings in Hong Kong. The Chairman of the ACBHC, Professor Lau Chi-pang, will deliver his closing remarks at the symposium tomorrow (November 8).
 
     Mr Wong will return to Hong Kong later this afternoon.

Ends/Thursday, November 7, 2019
Issued at HKT 14:55

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