The government claims Hong Kong is Asia's World City. Yet, as the debate over the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District has shown, its goals in giving the city a cultural side to match its commercial appeal often appear to conflict with those of profit-motivated property developers. Given its broader aspirations, should the government be rethinking its policy of trying to use business to fund culture - and should business rethink its reliance on property profits to ensure its participation in such projects?

Come and join the seminar and you will hear professional opinions on the above subjects from our distinguished speakers.

Meeting structure

The key-note presentation will examine what precedents Hong Kong could benefit from other parts of the world. The first session will look at the problems thrown up by the government's approach of tacking the development of West Kowloon on to the development of property. The second session will looks at alternative responses Hong Kong could consider to enhance its reputation as a world city, and whether these might in turn make it a better place to do business.

Session A
West Kowloon:
- What role should culture play in determining Hong Kong's self-image as a world city?
- Why does the government concentrate on using property as a way of funding cultural developments?
- Should the government have a more pro-active role in supporting the building of cultural infrastructure?
- What might be the spin-offs from a greater concentration on cultural development in key industries such as tourism?

Session B
Specific changes worth considering
- What are the prospects of public-private initiatives for cultural developments?
- Are there grounds for self-interest in corporate contributions to the development of culture?
- Should there be greater tax benefits for cultural developments?
- If business doesn't pay for cultural developments, then who should?

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