Ningbo-HK Co-operation Forum on Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of Heritage and Historic Buildings (with photo)

The Development Bureau and the Ningbo Planning Bureau jointly held the first ever Ningbo-Hong Kong Co-operation Forum on Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of Heritage and Historic Buildings at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (October 24). More than 60 heritage conservation and planning practitioners from Ningbo and Hong Kong shared their experiences on the conservation and adaptive reuse of heritage and historic buildings.

The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Wai Chi-sing and Vice Mayor of the People's Government of Ningbo Municipality, Mr Su Limian, officiated at the forum.

"Inaugurated in 2002, this is the 10th Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum, and for the first time, we have included a special theme for heritage conservation," Mr Wai said during his opening speech.

"This forum provides an invaluable opportunity for practitioners who are responsible for revitalising and conserving heritage and historic buildings from both places to interact, and to visit the sites for revitalisation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings in Hong Kong.

"Promoting exchanges with the Mainland on heritage conservation is one of our key tasks. This forum will establish a good foundation for further exchanges between the two places in future," Mr Wai said.

The forum includes six themed talks on the management and design of heritage and historic buildings, presented by representatives from Hong Kong and Ningbo. The Commissioner for Heritage, Miss Vivian Ko; the Chief Assistant Secretary (Works), Ms Alice Pang; and the Executive Secretary of the Antiquities and Monuments Office, Mr Tom Ming, talked about Hong Kong's heritage conservation policy, Government measures to support the preservation of privately owned historic buildings, and opportunities and challenges arising from the revitalisation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings respectively.

Forum delegates visited King Yin Lei, Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum (Kom Tong Hall), and Savannah College of Art and Design Hong Kong (former North Kowloon Magistracy) in the afternoon.

The Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum is jointly organised by the People's Government of Ningbo Municipality and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and aims to enhance economic co-operation and trade between the two places. Since 2002, it has been held alternately in Ningbo and Hong Kong. This year marks the forum's 10th anniversary and is being held in Hong Kong from October 24 to 27.

The Ningbo-Hong Kong Co-operation Forum on Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of Heritage and Historic Buildings is one of the highlights of this year's Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum. It has been organised by the Development Bureau and the Ningbo Planning Bureau, and supported by the Ningbo Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Press and Publication and Ningbo Urban Construction Investment Holding Company Limited.

Ends/Monday, October 24, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:47

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The Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Wai Chi-sing, addresses the audience at the Ningbo-Hong Kong Co-operation Forum on Conservation and Adaptive Reuse of Heritage and Historic Buildings this morning (October 24).

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