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Home >> Life
UPDATED: 14:04, June 25, 2004
Buddy Bears in HK, carrying message of peace and love
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As 12 German plain Buddy Bears have arrived in Hong Kong, artists will start adding colors to them in an effort to convey their feelings about Hong Kong and their wishes for peace.

The United Buddy Bears Exhibition, a major public art event to be held here for the first time, will be staged at the Central Lawn of Victoria Park next month. More than 130 big, colorful Buddy Bears will be displayed to promote love, peace, solidarity and public art.

Among the Buddy Bears to be on display, 12 will be turned into pieces of art by local artists and 120 were designed and painted by artists of different countries.

Local artists will soon start the design and production with a view to giving visitors to the show a brand new visual experience.

A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said the event provides a golden opportunity for cultural exchange with the works of artists from so many countries being displayed together.

"Through viewing the bears, visitors will gain a better understanding of different cultures, and also get the artists' message for peace," he said.

"The form of the exhibition is very special. The Buddy Bears will stand hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder to form a circle to give the message of peace, solidarity and love," he added.

In 2002, a German couple, Dr Klaus Herlitz and his wife Eva, were inspired to create a symbol representing understanding and tolerance among nations. As they thought bears were universally loved and seen as friendly and cuddly, they came up with the idea of creating Buddy Bears.

The idea of bringing the Buddy Bears to Hong Kong was initiatedby movie star Jackie Chan, who is also the founder of the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation.

When Chan was filming in Germany last year, he was fascinated by the sight of the enchanting sculptures on the streets. After learning that the Buddy Bears carry the message of global peace and tolerance, he proposed to bring the exhibition to Hong Kong.

Apart from promoting the message of love, peace and solidarity,the exhibition also aimed to foster public art.

"Displaying the bears at Victoria Park, a place Hong Kong people are so familiar with, not only beautifies the environment, but also shows the public how art can be incorporated into daily life," said an artist.

"Visitors will be able to see the tremendous potential of public space in promoting creative culture and art. They will alsorealize the effectiveness of involving both artists and the publicin enhancing the cultural aspects of life," he added.

The event is jointly organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Home Affairs Department and the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation. It is assisted by the Tourism Commission, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Hong Kong.

It will also help raise funds for the Hong Kong Committee for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Community Chest of Hong Kong and the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation.

Source: Xinhua

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