 |
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 Honourable R.J.L.Hawke AC, MP
Prime Minister of Australia
THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF GREAT EVENTS TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA THIS YEAR, IN CELEBRATION OF OUR BICENTENARY.
BUT ONE OF THE GREATEST, ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE, AND ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING OF THEM ALL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS, BRISBANE IS TO PLAY HOST TO THE WORLD.
46 COUNTRIES, 52 GOVERNMENTS, 150 COMPANIES AND EVERY AUSTRALIAN STATE AND THE TWO MAIN TERRITORIES HAVE COME TOGETHER AT EXPO 88 TO SHOW US THEIR LIFESTYLES, THEIR CULTURES AND THE BEST OF THEIR PRODUCTS.
AS SUCH IT IS A TREMENDOUS EXPRESSION OF INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL AND AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY OF THE HIGHEST CONTEMPORARY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
IT IS A CELEBRATION WHICH WILL ATTRACT VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
AS PRIME MINISTER I EXTEND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE VISITING AUSTRALIA FOR EXPO.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT AFTER SEEING WHAT EXPO HAS TO OFFER AND THE REST OF BRISBANE, AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
THAT IS BECAUSE AUSTRALIANS HAVE WORKED HARD TO MAKE EXPO 88 A SUCCESS.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK INDIVIDUALLY FOR THEIR VISION AND HARD WORK - AND BESIDES, THEIR BEST REWARD WILL NOT BE FORMAL EXPRESSIONS OF THANKS BUT THE ENTHUSIASM WITH WHICH THEIR EXHIBITIONS ARE GREETED BY THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EXPECTED TO VISIT EXPO.
IT WOULD BE WRONG HOWEVER IF I FAILED TO MENTION SPECIFICALLY THE STAFF OF THE EXPO AUTHORITY UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF LLEW EDWARDS, AND THE STAFF OF THE COMMISSIONER-GENERAL, LED BY NED WILLIAMS, REPRESENTING THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT.
QUITE SIMPLY, WITHOUT THEIR WORK THERE WOULD NOT BE AN EXPO. WE ARE ALL IN THEIR DEBT.
I HAVE REFERRED TO EXPO AS A CELEBRATION - AND IT WILL CERTAINLY BE THAT. BUT IT WILL, I HOPE, BE MORE THAN THAT. FOR AUSTRALIANS, EXPO PRESENTS US WITH A VERY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF.
WE KNOW WE CAN BE A SOURCE OF HIGH QUALITY MANUFACTURES AND COMMODITIES, A SITE OF NEW INVESTMENT, A LAUNCHING PLACE FOR COMMERCIAL VENTURES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION, AND A TOURIST DESTINATION OF UNPARALLELED EXCELLENCE.
IT IS OUR JOB HERE AT EXPO TO SHOW OURSELVES IN THIS LIGHT TO THE WORLD.
IF AUSTRALIANS GRASP THIS OPPORTUNITY, THE BICENTENARY WILL BECOME NOT JUST A 12 MONTH PARTY BUT A BOOST TO OUR ECONOMY THE BENEFITS OF WHICH WILL BE FELT FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND THERE IS A BROADER IMPLICATION STILL. EXPO IS AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US OF WHAT WE COLLECTIVELY ARE CAPABLE OF AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. IT IS ONE OF THOSE RARE EVENTS WHICH PROMPT US TO CONSIDER WHAT EFFORTS INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS MIGHT MAKE TO FOSTER THE CAUSE OF PEACE, PROSPERITY AND CONSTRUCTIVE COOPERATION EVERYWHERE.
LONG AFTER EXPO IS FINISHED, IF IT HAS ADVANCED THAT CAUSE, IT WILL HAVE SERVED A TRULY VALUABLE AND ENDURING PURPOSE FOR US ALL.
BUT ONE OF THE GREATEST, ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE, AND ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING OF THEM ALL IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS, BRISBANE IS TO PLAY HOST TO THE WORLD.
46 COUNTRIES, 52 GOVERNMENTS, 150 COMPANIES AND EVERY AUSTRALIAN STATE AND THE TWO MAIN TERRITORIES HAVE COME TOGETHER AT EXPO 88 TO SHOW US THEIR LIFESTYLES, THEIR CULTURES AND THE BEST OF THEIR PRODUCTS.
AS SUCH IT IS A TREMENDOUS EXPRESSION OF INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL AND AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY OF THE HIGHEST CONTEMPORARY ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
IT IS A CELEBRATION WHICH WILL ATTRACT VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
AS PRIME MINISTER I EXTEND A VERY WARM WELCOME TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE VISITING AUSTRALIA FOR EXPO.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT AFTER SEEING WHAT EXPO HAS TO OFFER AND THE REST OF BRISBANE, AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
THAT IS BECAUSE AUSTRALIANS HAVE WORKED HARD TO MAKE EXPO 88 A SUCCESS.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK INDIVIDUALLY FOR THEIR VISION AND HARD WORK - AND BESIDES, THEIR BEST REWARD WILL NOT BE FORMAL EXPRESSIONS OF THANKS BUT THE ENTHUSIASM WITH WHICH THEIR EXHIBITIONS ARE GREETED BY THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE EXPECTED TO VISIT EXPO.
IT WOULD BE WRONG HOWEVER IF I FAILED TO MENTION SPECIFICALLY THE STAFF OF THE EXPO AUTHORITY UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF LLEW EDWARDS, AND THE STAFF OF THE COMMISSIONER-GENERAL, LED BY NED WILLIAMS, REPRESENTING THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT.
QUITE SIMPLY, WITHOUT THEIR WORK THERE WOULD NOT BE AN EXPO. WE ARE ALL IN THEIR DEBT.
I HAVE REFERRED TO EXPO AS A CELEBRATION - AND IT WILL CERTAINLY BE THAT. BUT IT WILL, I HOPE, BE MORE THAN THAT. FOR AUSTRALIANS, EXPO PRESENTS US WITH A VERY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE WORLD WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF.
WE KNOW WE CAN BE A SOURCE OF HIGH QUALITY MANUFACTURES AND COMMODITIES, A SITE OF NEW INVESTMENT, A LAUNCHING PLACE FOR COMMERCIAL VENTURES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION, AND A TOURIST DESTINATION OF UNPARALLELED EXCELLENCE.
IT IS OUR JOB HERE AT EXPO TO SHOW OURSELVES IN THIS LIGHT TO THE WORLD.
IF AUSTRALIANS GRASP THIS OPPORTUNITY, THE BICENTENARY WILL BECOME NOT JUST A 12 MONTH PARTY BUT A BOOST TO OUR ECONOMY THE BENEFITS OF WHICH WILL BE FELT FOR YEARS TO COME.
AND THERE IS A BROADER IMPLICATION STILL. EXPO IS AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US OF WHAT WE COLLECTIVELY ARE CAPABLE OF AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD. IT IS ONE OF THOSE RARE EVENTS WHICH PROMPT US TO CONSIDER WHAT EFFORTS INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS MIGHT MAKE TO FOSTER THE CAUSE OF PEACE, PROSPERITY AND CONSTRUCTIVE COOPERATION EVERYWHERE.
LONG AFTER EXPO IS FINISHED, IF IT HAS ADVANCED THAT CAUSE, IT WILL HAVE SERVED A TRULY VALUABLE AND ENDURING PURPOSE FOR US ALL.