O U N D A T I O N   E X P O  ' 8 8
Progressing the World Expo '88 Vision
- A non-government not-for-profit entity celebrating Brisbane's World Expo '88 -

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Academic Forum

Opening and Closing Ceremony Speeches
 "Opening Ceremony Speeches, National Day Speeches, Closing Ceremony Speeches"
Office of the Commissioner-General, World Expo '88



Opening Ceremony
The Hon Sir Edward Williams KCMG, KBE
Commissioner-General of World Expo '88

YOUR MAJESTY, IN MY CAPACITY AS THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE FOR WORLD EXPO 88 AND ON BEHALF OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS, I EXTEND TO YOU AND YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS A SINCERE AND WARM WELCOME. WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT ONCE AGAIN YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO JOIN US HERE TODAY FOR THIS MOST IMPORTANT EVENT IN AUSTRALIA'S BICENTENNIAL YEAR.

I WISH TO OFFER OUR SINCERE THANKS TO THE 38 INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS AND TO THE 48
OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND CORPORATIONS WHO HAVE JOINED US HERE IN BRISBANE TO CELEBRATE WORLD EXPO 88 AND AUSTRALIA'S 200TH BIRTHDAY. WHATEVER OUR BEGINNINGS, WHATEVER THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT BESET THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE US, IN JUST 200 YEARS AUSTRALIA HAS EVOLVED INTO A NATION THAT COMMANDS THE RESPECT, AND I HOPE, THE AFFECTION OF MOST OF THE WORLD.

BY THEIR PARTICIPATION IN OUR EXPO IN THIS FAR AWAY CORNER OF THE GLOBE, THOSE
COUNTRIES HERE (AND THOSE UNABLE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS TO PARTICIPATE) PAY TRIBUTE TO ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING FASHIONED US INTO A PEOPLE WHO ARE WHAT WE ARE AND WHO PRETEND TO BE NOTHING ELSE. WHAT A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY PRESENT YOU HAVE GIVEN US. THANK YOU FROM ALL AUSTRALIANS.

ON BEHALF OF ALL AUSTRALIANS AND ALL PARTICIPANTS, I SHOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS TO SIR
LLEWELLYN AND HIS TEAM AT BESBRA, DEEP APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE FOR THEIR MAGNIFICENT EFFORT IN DEVELOPING THIS EXPOSITION. IT HAS NECESSITATED GREAT EFFORTS WHICH WILL BE REWARDED BY THE ATTENDANCE OF THE MANY MILLIONS WHO WILL VISIT EXPO 88. THE COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENTS, THE BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING AND STAGING THIS EXPOSITION, HAS CREATED AN EVENT THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF WORLD ATTENTION FOR THE NEXT 184 DAYS. I JOIN WITH SIR LLEWELLYN IN DECLARING THAT "TOGETHER WE'LL SHOW THE WORLD".

GOD BLESS US ALL.



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Note from Foundation Expo '88: BESBRA in this document refers to the official title of the Expo Authority, the Brisbane Exposition and South Bank Re-development Authority.