Building Safety Week 2019 promotes "Living in Safe Buildings" to community (with photos)
With the theme "Living in Safe Buildings", the Building Safety Week 2019, organised by the Buildings Department (BD), started today (April 27). It aims to disseminate building safety messages and foster a building care culture in the community through a series of diversified and innovative activities.
Addressing the opening ceremony of Building Safety Week 2019 at Tai Kwun, the Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands), Ms Bernadette Linn said the Government aimed to, through the activity, drive home the message that good building conditions are premised upon joint community efforts. She remarked that heightened public awareness of building safety in the community could greatly complement BD’s relevant efforts.
"The theme of this year's Building Safety Week, 'Living in Safe Buildings', reminds us that we, as users of buildings, have to pay attention to the repair, maintenance and management of buildings, and in turn stay healthy and happy," said Ms Linn.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Buildings, Mr Cheung Tin-cheung, said that choosing Tai Kwun, a historic compound with more than a century of history, to launch Building Safety Week, carries special meaning. Participants will be able to appreciate that well-designed revitalisation not only can restore the past appearances of old buildings but will also give them a new life.
He added that the BD will continue to strive to promote building safety to the public through various channels and platforms in the hope of reaching more people from different walks of life, including young people.
Building Safety Week, which is being held for the fifth consecutive year, is the BD's annual major public education and publicity event. Participants joined a range of activities at the opening ceremony, such as an urban sketching workshop, Talk @ Tai Kwun and Guided tour @ Tai Kwun. Through drawing buildings and learning about an exemplary case of restoration of historic buildings, participants gained a better understanding of building safety and maintenance.
Today's event also featured the award presentation for winners of the Building Safety Pioneer Programme Lyric Rewriting Contest held earlier, in which students delivered building safety messages by rewriting song lyrics in a creative fashion. The winning entries were performed by a singer and Building Safety Pioneers in a Silent Busking session today.
Building Safety Week 2019 runs from today to May 3. Programme highlights include public talks, the Building Information Centre Open Day, the Registered Inspectors Briefing Session and the Building Safety Symposium. In addition to the Secondary School Drama Competition, which has been held for a number of years, a postcard design competition has been organised for the first time this year. Entries from kindergarten children up to college students and members of the public are welcome.
For the latest updates on the activities of Building Safety Week 2019, people may visit the webpage of the BD (www.bd.gov.hk/en/whats-new/events-and-publicity/index.html).
Ends/Saturday, April 27, 2019
