獻辭
Congratulatory Message
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the inaugural Greater Bay Area Built Heritage Summit.
Built heritage bears testimony to history, culture and citizens’ collective memories that are essential for the construction and inheritance of cultural identity. The architectural style, construction techniques, use, etc. of built heritage are influenced by factors such as traditions, culture, religions and the environment. The cities of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which fall within the cultural ambit of the Lingnan region, share the same origins. Many historic buildings in the GBA hence reflect the characteristics of Lingnan culture and tell the history of the Lingnan region.
Hong Kong, while located in the GBA, has developed along a distinctive path amalgamating Chinese and Western cultures. Our culture is inseparable from that of the Mainland on the one hand and, on the other, Hong Kong has been a converging point for Chinese and Western cultures in modern times. It is therefore not difficult to find heritage structures along streets and lanes that bear distinctive Chinese, Western or mixed features. These structures are still extremely vibrant and form part of the indispensable cultural heritage that constitutes part of our life and the unique history of our city.
My Government is committed to conserving and promoting cultural heritage. The Commissioner for Heritage’s Office and the Antiquities and Monuments Office under the Development Bureau are responsible for the conservation, revitalisation, education, publicity, etc. of built heritage, in a bid to pass down the cultural treasures of Hong Kong to future generations and tell the story of Hong Kong in the best way.
The Summit is part of our effort to promote all-round exchange and collaboration of built heritage in the GBA. It focuses on conservation and revitalisation, application of new technologies, heritage education and promotion, community engagement, academic research, personnel training and exchange, and the development of cultural and creative products. While the Summit will certainly open up more opportunities for future collaboration among the GBA cities, greater degree of integration is also expected to better leverage the advantages of each place.
My thanks to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, museums and cultural organisations in the GBA, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club, for their strong support in making the Summit possible. I believe Hong Kong will continue to capitalise on our strengths and contribute our best to promote concerted cultural development in the GBA.
John KC LEE
Chief Executive
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region