URA to hold seminar on urban renewal of Asian experience

The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) will hold a full-day seminar engaging overseas and local academics and officials to exchange views on the models and challenges of urban renewal in some Asian cities on 15 December 2008.

The seminar, entitled "Models and Challenges of Urban Renewal-Sharing of Asian Experience", aims to enhance public understanding of the various issues in urban renewal by drawing on the experience and actual results of other Asian cities, in order to better prepare for  future initiatives in urban renewal in Hong Kong, said a spokesman of the URA.

"It is an opportune time to take stock of our experience in urban renewal for the past 20 years and review the Urban Renewal Strategy.  The seminar, serving as a useful platform for proactive dialogues on the way forward, is held to dovetail the Urban Strategy Review by the Government commenced in July this year," the spokesman added.

Academics and officials from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Seoul, Taiwan and Hong Kong have been invited as guest speakers to share their valuable experience on urban renewal.  They include Prof. ZHENG Shi-ling, Professor, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai; Prof. Kwang-joong KIM, Associate Professor, Urban Planning and Design, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul; Mr. HSU Yen-hsing, Planning Section Chief, Urban Redevelopment Office, Taipei City Government, Taiwan region; Mr. Liu Zhi Wei, Director, Administration Office of Building Dismantlement and Transference, Guangzhou City; Dr. LAW Chi-kwong & Dr Ernest Chui Wing-tak, Associate Professors, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong. 

The seminar will be held at Meeting Room 401, HK Convention & Exhibition Centre from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.  Admission is free on a pre-registered basis.  Registration forms can be downloaded from the URA website at www.ura.org.hk and have to be returned to the Seminar Secretariat -Chamber Services Limited at 22/F United Centre, 95 Queensway Hong Kong or by fax (2527 0380) on or before 10 December 2008.  For enquiries, please call 2823 1266.

(ENDS)