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It was a moment of great honour for Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre today (April 26, Toronto time) when Toronto Mayor David Miller proclaimed April 26, 2006 as "Hong Kong Culture & Heritage Day" in the City of Toronto to pay tribute to Hong Kong's spirit and its evolution as a key global economic and cultural player, and to recognise the close economic and cultural ties between Hong Kong and Toronto.
The proclamation was made by Mayor Miller when he joined the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Mr Bassanio So, the two co-chairs of the "Tribute to Hong Kong" Gala, Ms Rita Tsang of Tour East Holidays and Mr Ross Cronin of Cathay Pacific Airways; Dr Joseph Wong, chair of the Yee Hong Community Wellness Foundation; Flora Chong, event chair of the "Love in a Fallen City" performances in Toronto, in welcoming the HKRep's three leading performers Tony Leung (known for his role in Jean-Jacques Annaud's "The Lover"), Louisa So, Alice Lau, and director Fredric Mao at the Toronto City Hall.
Following his announcement, Mayor Miller presented a proclamation plaque to the group as a memento of the occasion.
Today's proclamation is the third in less than a year, following the proclamation in Vancouver in January and the "Hong Kong Day" in Calgary last August.
The "Hong Kong Culture & Heritage Day" was also endorsed by the Prime Minister of Canada, Mr Stephen Harper. In a greeting sent by the Prime Minister, he recognised the "immense contributions of the Hong Kong community in the Greater Toronto Area", and "Hong Kong's dynamic culture and heritage".
The occasion is being celebrated with a series of cultural events to be held from today until April 30. They include: the "Tribute to Hong Kong" gala, a heritage exhibit on Hong Kong at the Hilton Suites in Markham; presentation of a pair of shoes by Tony Leung to the Bata Shoe Museum's "Walk of Fame" collection, a panel discussion on "Eileen Chang - From Novel to Stage" at the University of Toronto at the opening of Asian Heritage Month in Toronto; and the four stage performances of "Love in a Fallen City" at Ryerson University Theatre.
Ends/Thursday, April 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 10:18
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