Toronto ETO hosts Hong Kong Week opening ceremony and “Connect & Excel – Past, Present & Future” photo exhibition in Vancouver (with photos)

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (Toronto ETO) hosted the opening ceremony of Hong Kong Week and the "Connect & Excel – Past, Present & Future" photo exhibition at the Sunroom and Gallery of Robson Square at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver yesterday (June 24, Vancouver time).
      
     In delivering a welcome speech at the opening ceremony, the Director of Toronto ETO, Ms Emily Mo, said the Hong Kong Week event under the theme "Connect and Excel" aims to promote Hong Kong's strengths and potential with an emphasis on the core values and attributes of Hong Kong, Asia's world city.
      
     Given Hong Kong's high degree of connectivity, globally and with Mainland China and the rest of Asia, the city helps propel people and businesses to excellence in their chosen fields under a "Connect and Excel" theme. "Hong Kong's sound fundamentals not only relate to physical connectivity but also to financial, legal, scientific research and creative links as well as people-to-people connectivity," Ms Mo said.
      
     Ms Mo also introduced the activities in Vancouver under the inaugural "Hong Kong Week" event organised by Toronto ETO, which include dragon boat festival activities, a Hong Kong-themed drama and the photo exhibition launched yesterday. In Toronto, the events have included a business conference, an academic seminar and a concert, all held last week, as well as the photo exhibition.
      
     The photo exhibition, entitled "Connect & Excel – Past, Present & Future" and now being staged in Vancouver and Toronto, is jointly presented by Toronto ETO and the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto. More than 80 photos are being displayed to showcase Hong Kong's high degree of connectivity from different perspectives.
      
     Among the photos, two newly commissioned infrastructure projects, namely the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, which greatly enhance the connectivity of Hong Kong within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and to other parts of Mainland China, are featured. The photo exhibition also showcases the many types of transport and world-class infrastructure in Hong Kong.
      
     Ms Mo invited guests at the opening ceremony and the Canadian public to learn more about Hong Kong's connectivity by visiting the photo exhibition and participating in other Hong Kong Week activities.
      
     Yesterday's opening ceremony was attended by the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Vancouver, Ms Tong Xiaoling; Member of Parliament of Canada Mrs Alice Wong; and Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia Ms Teresa Wat.
      
     Before the opening ceremony came to a close, the guests were treated to a Chinese instrumental performance by ruan master Yu Zhimin, who had performed in the Hong Kong Arts Festival, together with Canadian masters of the sheng and erhu.
      
     The "Connect & Excel – Past, Present & Future" photo exhibition in Vancouver will run from yesterday till June 29 (Vancouver time) at the Sunroom and Gallery of Robson Square at the University of British Columbia.
      
     In addition, a Hong Kong-themed musical performance, "Try to Remember", will be held at the Michael J Fox Theatre in Vancouver on June 30 (Vancouver time). This musical is an original play written by renowned Canadian Hong Kong director Peter Poon about the love stories of three couples from different generations in Hong Kong. It will present many songs that were popular in Hong Kong from the 1960s to 1980s. Through this music journey, the Canadian audience can learn and understand more about the vibrant arts and culture scene of Hong Kong in different eras.