Remarks by CUSA Donald Tong
at the Daley Plaza community event
19 May 2009

Thank you, Commissioner Starks.

It is a great honour for the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office to collaborate with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations in presenting today’s program.

The program is part of the Hong Kong Comes to Chicago 2009 festival, held in conjunction with the city’s Asian Pacific Heritage Month celebration.

As “Asia’s world city,” Hong Kong has always been a place that celebrates diversity and multiculturalism. We are one of the best examples of the East meeting the West, as evident in our history, cityscape, freedom, political and economic structure, and last but not the least, our culture – all being well preserved under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle as guaranteed in the Basic Law, our mini-constitution, after our reunification with China in mid-1997.

We have the pleasure of bringing in some of our best cultural products to you throughout the month. Beginning May 1, the Hong Kong Comes to Chicago festival presents to you art exhibition, films, musical concerts, culinary event, and educational symposiums. We hope that through this potpourri of fine programs the Chicagoans will come to know more about the evolving “modern heritage” of our continuously vibrant and transformative city.

Today’s programs at the Daley Plaza - the lion dance, the Chinese calligraphy demonstration, the slide presentation, and the many other good stuffs - are just some snippets of the festival. And, of course, in a few moments, our own Chinese Music Virtuosi, who will perform in tonight’s concert at the Thorne Auditorium at Northwestern University, will provide us with a sleek preview of their finest musical showmanship.

Hong Kong like the U.S. is a community that thrives on a mixed culture. It is this diversity that affords us the dimensions and versatility to create our own unique yet fascinating culture and makes our people stands out among nations of the world.

I hope you will join us in the many programs that we have specially tailored for you in the Hong Kong Comes to Chicago festival. They are the prologue to the many exciting adventures that you will find in Hong Kong

I wish you all an enjoyable day!