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Progressing the World Expo '88 Vision
- A non-government not-for-profit entity celebrating Brisbane's World Expo '88 -
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 Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of Brisbane
Alderman Sallyanne Atkinson
I AM VERY PROUD THIS MORNING TO BE LORD MAYOR OF BRISBANE.
EXPO 88 IS SOMETHING LIKE A COMING OF AGE CELEBRATION FOR OUR CITY. WE ARE HONOURED AND DELIGHTED THAT YOUR MAJESTY AND YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS ARE THE GUESTS OF HONOUR AT OUR PARTY.
TODAY IS THE OPENING OF A SIX MONTH EVENT TO WHICH WE HAVE INVITED THE REST OF THE WORLD. TODAY WE FORMALLY AND OFFICIALLY BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL CITY.
YOUR MAJESTY AND YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS HAVE BEEN PART OF THE GROWING-UP PROCESS. WHEN YOU FIRST CAME HERE MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO WE WERE STILL A CITY FINDING ITS FEET.
BACK IN 1954, WE FELT WE WERE LIVING IN A LARGE COUNTRY TOWN, FRIENDLY AND RELAXED. CITY HALL WAS OUR TALLEST BUILDING, THE RAILWAY TRACKS (AND THE TRAIN) STILL HELD UP TRAFFIC AS THEY CROSSED THE ROAD AT THE 'GABBA, AND SOUTHERNERS CALLED BRISBANE A CULTURAL DESERT.
NOW, YOU CAN HARDLY SEE THE CLOCK TOWER ON CITY HALL FOR THE TALL BUILDINGS THAT SURROUND IT; QUEEN STREET, WHERE THE TRAMS USED TO RUN, IS NOW A SOPHISTICATED PEDESTRIAN MALL; AND THE CULTURAL CENTRE ON THE RIVERBANK IS THE NATION'S BEST.
BUT WE ARE INDEED STILL FRIENDLY AND RELAXED, AND WE WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW WELCOME YOU ARE AND HOW VERY MUCH PART OF OUR LIFE AS A CITY.
YOU WERE HERE FOR THAT OTHER GRAND GROWING-UP EVENT, THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES, WHEN THE REST OF AUSTRALIA CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT BRISBANE IS A "CAN-DO" CITY WITH ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES, THE BEST OF WHICH ARE ITS PEOPLE. THAT WAS OUR TRANSITION PERIOD, OUR ADOLESCENCE.
NOW AS THE CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA'S FASTEST GROWING STATE ON THE EDGE OF THE PACIFIC RIM, THE FASTEST GROWING REGION IN THE WORLD, WE FEEL NOT ONLY PROUD OF OUR PAST, BUT CONFIDENT OF THE FUTURE.
EXPO IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OFF TO THE WORLD, TO INVITE OTHER NATIONS TO WITNESS, SHARE AND ENJOY THE EXCITING AND DYNAMIC CITY THAT IS BRISBANE.
BUT MOST OF ALL IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF BRISBANE TO SAY TO YOUR MAJESTY AND TO YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, THAT WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US ALONG THE WAY, AND THAT YOU ARE MOST ESPECIALLY WELCOME TODAY.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PARTY.