Amikam Levy, Israel’s Consul General to Hong Kong and Mr Tsang Tak-sing, Secretary for Home Affairs, represented their respective governments during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Co-operation.

The memorandum was signed in Hong Kong on 15 June at the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. Mr Tsang welcomed attendees with a big shalom and explained that this co-operation will contribute to furthering mutual understanding and friendship between the two governments

Tsang noted that the government is investing HK$21.6 billion in a West Kowloon cultural district project. “Hong Kong invested in trade and then industry,” he commented. “And now the government believes it should invest in a knowledge economy focused on innovation and creativity.”

He would like to see Hong Kong’s top nine performing groups performing in Israel, where he believes they would be very well received.
Consul General Levy began his speech noting the memorandum took 116 emails, over 130 phone calls, 16 drafts, 10 meetings and 15 months of work. “Culture is consensus, culture is power and knowledge. Without culture there is no growth. Without culture there is no creativity. This document reflects the deep and strong will of both countries to collaborate in a wide range of fields”, said Levy at the signing ceremony.

_{(Issue July/August 2010)}