Press Release - February 9, 2002
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada) (HKETO) today (February 9) launched the �Living in Hong Kong � Past and Present� photo exhibition in Vancouver to showcase the development of Hong Kong over the past 50 years and its rapid transition from a little known entrepot to Asia�s world city.

The exhibition in Vancouver is the third leg of its tour in Canada amid very positive feedback when it was staged in Toronto last November and Calgary last month.

On display at the To-Yick Wong Gallery, Museum and Archives Building of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver (CCC), the photo exhibition is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. until February 24.

Speaking at the exhibition�s opening ceremony, Mrs Rosanna Ure, Director of the HKETO (Canada) said, �These 80 photo exhibits tell you a long story. It�s a story of tears and joy. It�s a story of struggles, sufferings and achievements. It�s a story of how Hong Kong has developed from a city devastated by the Second World War into a vibrant and affluent metropolis.

�Much has changed over the past decades, but what remained unchanged is the enterprising, positive and the �can-do� spirit of Hong Kong people. We are willing to take on challenges, we seek opportunities in crises and we believe that tomorrow will be better if we work hard today.�

It is with this spirit that Hong Kong people have created an economic miracle. And it is with this spirit that the hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong immigrants have contributed to the Canadian economy, Mrs Ure added.

Also officiating at the opening ceremony were the Hon. Greg Halsey-Brandt, Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, Mr Monty Jang, Chairman of CCC and Mr Thomas Wong, Chairman of Museum Committee of CCC who co-organised the event.

Also speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Halsey Brandt said: �My thought about Hong Kong when I was a kid in the 50�s and 60�s was that of a struggling economy with people working hard in the manufacturing industry, producing goods at low and efficient rates.

�What we see today through these photographs is a real transformation over 50 years in terms of housing, lifestyle, transportation and so on that has put Hong Kong on the world stage and that has changed Hong Kong from a manufacturing base to a finance, real estate, investment development, high-tech and intelligence-based world class city.�

Organised by the HKETO (Canada) and CCC, the some 80 nostalgic and modern photographs were arranged under the themes of �Dressing�, �Eating�, �Living� and �Commuting�. The photo exhibits illustrate the changes of life in Hong Kong from the 1950s to the present day. The collection of photos was provided by the Hong Kong Film Archive and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

The exhibition is supported by Fairchild Television, Talentvision, Fairchild Radio and AM1320 CHMB as its media sponsors.

Other than the admission fees to the CCC�s museums, there will be no charge for visits to the photo exhibition. To celebrate the Chinese New Year, there will be free admission to the museums on February 12,13 and 14 as well as on every Tuesday. In addition, a total of 500 free tickets are available to those who are interested in the exhibition on a �first come first serve� basis. Those who want to obtain the free tickets (maximum of two tickets per person) can contact the HKETO Vancouver Office (Mrs. Catherine Yuen Tel: 604-331-1300).


For more information, please call: John Tam, Chief Information Officer of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: (416)924-5544 or email: [email protected] or Elison Chu, Senior Information Officer, [email protected] or Catherine Yuen, Principal Consultant, Communications at (604)331-1300 or email: [email protected].

(Second from left) Mrs. Rosanna Ure, Director of Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office (Canada), the Hon. Halsey-Brandt, Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Daniel Lee, Councillor of City of Vancouver, together with C.C.C. representatives at the opening ceremony of the "Living in Hong Kong - Past and Present" Photo Exhibition.