SHA attends Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Culture in Tianjin (with photos)

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     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (July 6) attended the Second Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Culture in Tianjin and delivered a speech on Hong Kong's latest key cultural development projects and cultural ties with the BRICS countries.

     Mr Lau said that Hong Kong is blessed with a unique East-meets-West character and has in-depth cultural exchanges and co-operation with countries around the world. The arts groups in Hong Kong also receive subvention for promoting cultural exchange between Hong Kong and other economies, including the BRICS countries, to achieve people-to-people bonds, he said.

     Mr Lau added that the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) will be developed into one of the largest cultural zones in the world. He also noted that as witnessed by President Xi Jinping, Hong Kong has signed a collaborative agreement with the Palace Museum to develop the Hong Kong Palace Museum in the WKCD. In addition, Hong Kong has just hosted the Museum Summit for the first time under the theme "Museums in a New Era". The summit brought together 20 acclaimed museum professionals, including leading figures from the BRICS members India and Russia, who shared their visionary insights.

     The first Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Culture was held in Moscow, Russia, in 2015. The second meeting, held by the Ministry of Culture in Tianjin this year, aims to further the formulation of an action plan for the Agreement between the Governments of the BRICS States on Cooperation in the Field of Culture and to explore the establishment of a long-term effective mechanism, including the Museum Association.

     While in Tianjin, Mr Lau also met with more than 10 tertiary students from Hong Kong participating in an internship programme there to learn about their work and daily life. These students are benefiting from the Funding Scheme for Youth Internship in the Mainland launched by the Home Affairs Bureau. Mr Lau will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on the same day after concluding his visit to Tianjin.

Ends/Thursday, July 6, 2017
Issued at HKT 13:55

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The Minister of Culture, Mr Luo Shugang (front row, right), and the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah (front row, centre), today (July 6) attended the Second Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Culture in Tianjin. Photo shows Mr Lau delivering a speech at the meeting.

From left: the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah; the Acting Director-General of the Department of Arts and Culture of South Africa, Mr Vusithemba Ndima; the Minister of Culture of Russia, Mr Vladimir Medinsky; the Minister of Culture, Mr Luo Shugang; the Minister of Culture of India, Dr Mahesh Sharma; the Director of the Department of International Promotion of the Ministry of Culture of Brazil, Mr Adam Jayme Muniz; and the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region, Mr Tam Chon-weng, are pictured at the Second Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Culture in Tianjin today (July 6).

The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah (second row, third left), yesterday (July 5) in Tianjin met with more than 10 tertiary students from Hong Kong participating in an internship programme there to learn about their work and daily life.