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| 08 SEPTEMBER 2007 | ||
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| 08 SEPTEMBER 2007 | ||
| PGMA, other APEC leaders gather at Sydney Opera House for 2007 summit |
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SYDNEY---President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and
the other 20 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders started
arriving at the world-famous Sydney Opera House as early as 10 a.m. Saturday
(Australia time) for the highest-level talks of the 15th APEC meeting. The President posed for a photo opportunity with Australian Prime Minister John Howard upon arrival at Australia’s expressionistic performing arts theatre. There is an unprecedented level of security at the Opera House for the annual meeting of the APEC leaders who will discuss a range of issues, with climate change, energy security, and the long-stalled Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations at the top of the agenda. The 21 leaders that include President Arroyo, US President George Bush, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, are scheduled to meet with business leaders this morning before they go on their First Retreat, or an informal and relaxed manner of discussing issues of common concern. Australia is hoping to get agreement on a Sydney Declaration, which will see APEC member countries commit to setting an “aspirational” and non-binding target to reduce greenhouse gases when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Prime Minister Howard has made climate change the major issue at the APEC 2007 Summit but has ruled out setting greenhouse gas reduction targets. The leaders, dressed in an Australian-themed outfit, would pose for the official APEC photograph before they begin their meeting. It is speculated by many that the 21 leaders would don the traditional Australian Akubra hat and Drizabone jackets. Organizers have only revealed the colors---eucalyptus green, mustard yellow, slate blue and ochre. Tonight, the APEC leaders will watch a fireworks display from the Opera House. The summit continues on Sunday for Retreat 2 at the New South Wales Government House, but without President Bush, who is scheduled to fly out of Sydney tonight. |
| 2 bills to benefit Filipino vets being considered in US Congress |
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SYDNEY -- Two bills that are expected to benefit
Filipino World War II veterans when finally signed into law, are now being
considered in the United States Congress. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is attending the 15TH Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ summit here, expressed the hope in a message she sent to US President George Bush at the sidelines of the ongoing APEC Leaders meeting that once the two bills are passed by the US Congress, her American counterpart would immediately sign the two measures into law. The two bills -- the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 (HR 70) and the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007 (S. 1315) – will finally provide pension benefits for Filipino veterans. “Passed into law, this will be a profound gesture reflective of the deep and abiding relations between the Philippines and the United States and the Filipino and American peoples’ shared commitment to uphold the values of democracy and justice for all,” she said in her message to Bush. The issue, according to her, is very important for the Philippines and the Filipino people, as it will finally mean “the end of a decades-long struggle for Filipino veterans to be recognized for their meaningful contributions to the campaign for democracy during the Second World War.” The Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which is sponsored by chairman of House Veterans Affairs Committee Rep. Bob Filner, is a stand-alone bill specifically intended to cover benefits for Filipino veterans. The Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, which was introduced by Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Sen. Daniel Akaka, is an omnibus veterans bill covering benefits for all US veterans. If ever, the two laws will benefit about 18,500 surviving Filipino veterans, around 6,000 of whom are living in the United States and another 12,000 in the Philippines. As a stand-alone bill, the House version provides more benefits specifically for Filipino veterans. On the other hand, the Senate version authored by Senator Akaka is an omnibus veterans bill which he put to a committee vote when he realized that the Senate version of a stand-alone measure for Filipinos veterans would not have enough support in the Senate. |
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President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's
Speech at the 5th Global Filipino Networking
Convention Sydney, Australia, 7 September 2007 |
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Mga kababayan sa Australia at sa iba’t ibang
bahagi ng mundo! Ikinagagalak ng ating delegasyon, bahagi dito ay APEC delegation at bahagi rin dito ay business delegation bilateral mula Pilipinas. Meron pa tayong isang kasama pero siya ay talagang ang pinuntahan niya ay kayo, ang chairman ng ating Philippine Retirement Authority, si Egay Aglipay (applause). Nasisiyahan kaming lahat mula sa Pilipinas na makita kayo dito sa 5th Global Filipino Networking Convention. Salamat at nagkaroon tayo ng ganitong pagkakataon. Congratulations to the Filipino-Australian convenors for this year’s convention, as well as the community leaders who made this event a success. Congratulations to Malyn who is the president of the Filipino Communities Council of Australia, and to Lolita Farmer, head of the Global Filipinos Australia and the Convention’s Organizing Commitee, and one of the 2006 recipients of the Presidential Award for Overseas Filipinos. Yung mga hindi taga-Australia nagugulat, ang galing-galing raw magsalita ni Lolita. Well, what she gets her award for is because she’s a very successful practicing lawyer here in Sydney. So to all of you who are not from Australia, welcome to this part of the world and especially to the original convenors of this convention, Loida and the other leaders of NAFFA (applause). I’m sure you’re so proud that NAFFA has gone such a long way (applause). and also other commmunity leaders from around the world. Indeed, this is a first, it maybe your fifth convention, but it’s a first because it’s the first time that this Global Filipino Networking Convention is held outside the U.S. and the Philippines. Mabuhay kayong lahat! And congratulations for holding this event in time for the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit. Nung ikinukuwento ko nung Mayo because I made a state visit here, na babalik ako rito one day ahead of the summit because I will speak to the Filipino communities, nagulat sila, how can you swing another convention when the APEC convention is taking place? But you are all here and that is again Mabuhay to your organizational abilities. But it’s also good for the Filipinos from all over the world to be here at a time of APEC conference so that we can also keep up with what’s happening in APEC. At a time of uncertainty in the world, APEC remains a central pillar of global engagement and dialogue. We Filipinos believe in strong global engagement for our country and our people -- lalo na kayo, you know that, you’re practicing it, to grow our economy, ensure peace and security and lift our nation out of poverty. Figuratively speaking, the more bridges we build, the more people can cross to new lands and new ideas. You, the overseas Filipinos, have demonstrated that we must be open to the world and peoples and places other than our own. That is what the 21st century will be about. You know, it’s not so much a function of poverty, you are professionals, you didn’t go all over the world because you are poor. In New Zealand which is very rich, 25 percent of their population are overseas, a lot of them are here in Australia. And in Portugal which is not a poor country either, it’s like us, 10 percent of the population are abroad. So that really means that the 21st century is about going to new places and being with peoples other than our own. That is why APEC plays such a large role for the Philippines – it is one of the most important bridges we can build and cross together. We want the Philippines actively engaged in local, regional and global affairs because that is the future. In the summit, we hope to see greater regional economic integration made possible with all 21 APEC economies agreeing to pursue the path of trade liberalization and a discussion on how the APEC can work together to address the global challenges of climate change through a framework for cooperation following up the Kyoto Protocol. Prime Minister Howard in fact has decided to make climate change the major topic at the Summit. So let me also tell you about us and what we’re doing adapting to climate change. In the Philippines, we embrace sustainable development. We’ve moved forward with an aggressive effort to create a Green Philippines, including reducing reliance on fossil fuels with our biofuels, wind and solar efforts and geothermal programs. It is good for our economy and good for the health and well-being of our people to have a strong economy and clean environment. That is why we welcome Australia’s initiative to discuss climate change at the APEC because there’s need for concerted international action to address the global challenges of climate change. We have a clean development mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol. This has allowed developing countries like the Philippines to voluntarily reduce its greenhouse gas emissions through private sector initiatives. But there is a need for expansion. There’s a need for greater levels of international cooperation and financial support to promote strategies to adapt to climate change, capacity development and technology transfer to avert security implications of the adverse effects of climate change. Security implications, you know, for instance, Australia is a very big exporter of milk to the Philippines. Australia is already suffering from climate change. Milk production has gone down by 10 percent. Therefore, the price of milk in the Philippines has gone up. So we have adverse affects of climate change and we have to deal with them. So that’s what we call adaptation strategies. Countries like the Philippines contribute less than 1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. So we are not a villain as far as climate change is concerned. They call our kind of country a climate taker rather than a climate maker. So domestically for us more than working to reduce greenhouse gas, what’s important for us is how to adapt to the climate change. And that is adaptation strategies, and that is what we need. It’s more important than reduction. Still, reduction is important to the extent that we can contribute. On our part, for instance, we must learn and adapt from our neighbors the technology, policies and economic tools that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time we are the second largest producer of geothermal energy in the world after the U.S., therefore we can also contribute by sharing our experience in developing clean alternative energy sources like geothermal power. And APEC presents an opportunity to engage our allies in all of these things -- in various economic, political and security issues at a time when the world needs closer cooperation. This lunchtime, for instance, President Bush had lunch with five ASEAN leaders and the foreign and trade ministers of the seven ASEAN nations who are members of APEC. Tomorrow I will meet Malaysian Prime Minister Badawi so we can discuss the peace process in Southern Philippines which is being facilitated by Malaysia. That’s one of the usefulness of an APEC summit. The APEC, along with the ASEAN and other trading agreements, provides the opportunity for nations to work together to lift up our poor, not just in the Philippines but all over the world. We believe in the power of the global trading system to alleviate poverty and modernize nations through market forces. That does not mean we believe that countries like the Philippines are ready to compete head-to-head today in every sector, but it does mean that because that is what the 21st century is all about, we cannot afford to be afraid of globalization. I guess, just as we say that we are a climate taker rather than a climate maker, we’re a globalization taker rather than a globalization maker, it’s there. Let us use it to fight poverty. Poverty alleviation is the number one most important part of our agenda in the Philippines and our vision to lift the Philippines into modernized country status in 20 years. Iyong ating mga reporma sa ekonomiya ay nasa harapan ng ating kampanyang bawasan ang kahirapan. Ito ang ating pangkalahatang layunin. Mula nang ang inyong lingkod ay umupo bilang Pangulo hanggang ngayon, mataas ang ating hinangad para sa ating bansa. Hinarap natin ang hamon: walang nakaakalang makakakuha tayo ng mas malaking buwis and cut down on tax cheats. And no one thought we could bring our budget deficit under control, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, ngunit nagawa natin ito. And I must acknowledge our congressmen and women, including our former congressmen, because the biggest single act that led to the surge in our economy, was the passage of our Value Added Tax which in one bold stroke raised enormous amounts of revenue. Binigyang daang bumilis ang ating pag-angat ng bago nating nahanap na salapi para sa pamumuhunan. Ang pagbalansyado ng kaban ng bayan ay unang hakbang lamang. Ngayon namumuhunan tayo sa matagal nang dapat nagawang pamumuhunan sa human at physical infrastructure. Kasama dito ang bilyun-bilyong piso sa edukasyon, kalinga sa kalusugan, training kasama ng bilyun-bilyon sa mga bagong tulay, kalsada, pantalan to upgrade the competitiveness of the Philippines (applause). This in turn attracts more investments at lumilikha ng mga dagdag na trabaho. Mas maraming trabaho, mas kaunting kahirapan. And we not only want to have infrastructure – human and physical infrastructure, we also want to make the environment friendly to business by reducing red tape and corruption. Our anti-corruption advisor, Mr. Tony Kwok, who was the former anti-corruption czar in Hong Kong, who was a key player in efforts to clean up corruption there, believes that perceptions cloud the reality of our progress in reducing corruption and red tape in the Philippines. The fact is that we have undertaken the effort to curb graft through criminal justice, through administrative controls and through procedural reforms. This effort is focused on the revenue agencies, that’s why they have improved their performance in recent years and agencies that are in the frontline of day-to-day public services. One of them would be the retirement authority, di ba Egay? I think Loida knows that very well, and now you’re happy. Okay. because that’s a frontline service that deals with overseas Filipinos. We take this issue very seriously. And we believe perception will match reality in a few years. However, this is a problem that has plagued the Philippines and other countries for generations and, as experience has shown, it won’t necessarily be eliminated overnight but progress is being made. Mabisa ang ating plano sa ekonomiya. Itong second quarter nitong taong ito mula Abril hanggang Hunyo, umangat ang produksyon sa loob ng ating bansa o Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 7.5 percent (applause). That brings the first semester GDP growth to 7.3 percent. Umangat naman ang mga produksyon ng mga Pilipino kasama iyong mga overseas Filipinos o Gross National Product ng 8.3 percent. Thank you (applause). Ang overseas remittances mula sa mga Pilipino katulad ninyo na nasa labas ng bansa ay umaabot na ng $13 billon o 11% ng ating GDP. Ang ating Bangko Sentral ay masipag na nagtatrabaho upang iangat ang tinatawag nilang financial literacy lalo na ng mga overseas Filipino workers at kanilang mga pamilya. Nagkakampanya ang Central Bank at ang kanyang mensahe: ang financial freedom hindi tumigil sa may sapat na pondo para isostento ang mga batayang pangangailangan ng isang pamilya. Nag-iipon, nag-iimpok and turning this hard-earned money into solid working capital is equally important. Sa mga financial literacy campaigns ng Bangko Sentral, pinaiiral ang kultura ng pag-iimpok. OFWs and your families are encouraged to channel these savings into investments. In the Wall Street Journal the other day, they wrote a very beautiful article about the Philippines, our harsh measures are paying off with our growth rate. And that article by James Hookway also said that a lot of the overseas Filipinos are not just sending things for basic necessities but also investing. Ngayon, parami nang parami ang mga remittances na ginagamit sa pamumuhunan sa Human Resource Capital sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon at kalinga sa kalusugan ng mga benepisyaryo; physical capital sa pamamagitan ng real properties, kasama ang pagbili ng lupa at pagtayo ng tahanan; and also in your case our prosperous overseas Filipinos, you support Gawad Kalinga and so many other projects that are really real property investments. And also pati na rin yung sa retirement homes na binebenta ni Egay Aglipay sa ating mga overseas Filipinos; and financial and capital investment sa pamamagitan ng financial instruments gaya ng stocks, mutual funds, at mga negosyo gaya ng mga Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). At yung mga microfinance gaya ng Opportunity International, we also thank our prosperous overseas Filipinos because you have supported a lot of microfinance NGOs, kaya nagpapalit ang kultura ng mga remittance. At sana tuluy-tuloy ito. Iginagalang ng ating bansa, ng ating mga mamamayan ang mga overseas Filipinos dahil sa inyong sakripisyo at malasakit sa inyong trabaho, inyong pamilya at ating bansa, buong loob na tinatanggap iyong mga kontribusyon whether it is as remittances to your families which…... I said not just of basic needs but of investments or your contributions to classrooms, contributions to Gawad Kalinga homes, contributions to microfinance. But we are working towards the day when the ordinary Filipino no longer needs to go abroad for a job; that overseas work is just another career option and not the only choice a hardworking Filipino has to earn a living. Our ambitious economic reforms will help break the offshore cycle. It will increasingly be keeping our best and brightest right in the Philippines, closer to families and friends, helping to build our communities and providing the next generation of leadership. In fact in my visits to other countries and also in my visits to our investments from abroad coming to the Philippines, more and more former Filipinos have availed of I believe the Dual Citizenship Act of 2003 which Lolita talked about. And as far as the overseas voting is concerned, we are open to ideas for further improving the implementation of the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003 to encourage more Filipinos overseas to register and vote. I’m sure the congressmen and congresswomen who are here will be happy to listen to your suggestions on how that law can be improved. We have also strengthened the Balik-Scientist Program by increasing the incentives for Filipinos to share their scientific and technological expertise for nation-building in the Philippines. One of our Filipino-Americans, Dado Banatao, is helping us put up, not just put up but now implement a science and technology-based development. And because of the masterplan that they have put together, we are now spending more than a billion pesos a year on new expenditures on science and technology, including scholarships for masters and doctoral degrees and research development. And for OFWs coming home, we have the National Reintegration Center that has been established to assist returning Filipino overseas workers to develop skills they will need when they decide to return to the Philippines permanently. Maraming mga overseas Filipinos ay umuuwi na para magtrabaho sa mga bagong investments and I have seen them. For instance, Texas Instruments in Clark, there are Filipinos who have come home to work there. When I went to Hanjin in Subic, it’s a one billion-dollar investment in Subic and they’re gonna put 700 million dollars in another facility coming up soon. When I interviewed those who were there, I asked them, ano’ng ginagawa n’yo dati? iyong iba fishermen dati, iyong iba housewife, iyong iba nababanda doon sa mga disco ng Olongapo. But some of them were overseas workers who found that their job in Hanjin is comparable to the job they had abroad. Doon sa mga minahan, the mining companies also. In fact, speaking of mining, ilan sa mga minahan ay pinamumuhunan ng mga kompanyang Australyano. Kaya nandito si Secretary Lito Atienza, makikipag-usap sa kanila. Kaya inaasahan kong lahat tayo ay tuluy-tuloy na magtutulungan para sa ikabubuti ng ating bayan. At inaasahan kong tayo’y magsisikap at sama-samang abutin ang ating layunin para sa ikauunlad ng Pilipinas. You, the Filipino communities in Australia and around the world, have a role to play in the Philippines’ participation in the international community. Whatever your profession, wherever you reside, you willingly carry the indelible mark of the Filipino. I am glad that you are confident of your competence, your brilliance and your standing in both your motherland and in your host country. Indeed, the Filipino is a true global citizen. Ang Pilipino ay isang tunay na mamamayang global. Kaya, mga minamahal kong kababayan: Naniniwala ako sa pangitain ng isang mamamayan, maunlad at progresibong pilipinas. At alam ko na kayo ay naniniwala rin doon kaya taun-taon gumagawa kayo ng networking convention. What is the commonality even if you come from all over the world, you are Filipinos and you love your country. Ito’y tanda ng progreso ng Pilipinas, imagine your 11 percent contribution to our GDP, lahat ng ito ay kaugnay ng hangarin na isulong ang progreso ng Pilipinas sa tulong ninyo. Kasi yung mga halimbawa sa mga taga-New Zealand, kinukwento sa akin, pag pumupunta yung 25 percent nila sa ibang bansa gaya dito, tinutulungan pa ng mga nanay at tatay nila na galing sa New Zealand. Kayo, the opposite, kayo ang tumutulong. Imagine kung ang ating bansa hindi ganoon ang kultura ninyo, kung hindi kayo tumutulong ay di yung 11 percent ng GDP, wala sana yon. So talagang napakalaking bagay na ang mga Pilipino kahit na saan sa buong mundo, mahal pa rin ang Pilipinas, kaya hindi brain-drain dahil binabalik n’yo sa inyong investments, not only for the future when you go home but even while you are abroad at tinutulungan ninyo ang ating bansa. Sa pagkakaisa at bayanihan, walang makakahadlang sa pag-usbong ng bagong Pilipinas dahil ganoon ang Pilipino, kahit na saan sa buong mundo, Pilipino pa rin. Ako’y nasisiyahan sa inyo. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat. |
| APEC leaders reaffirm commitment to UN framework on climate change |
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SYDNEY -- Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Forum reaffirmed Saturday their commitment to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) anchored on seven
beliefs that “underpin an equitable and effective post-2012 international
climate change arrangement.” In a Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development, leaders of the region’s 21 economies agreed that economic growth, energy security and climate change are fundamental and inter-linked challenges for the APEC region. “We are committed through wide-ranging and ambitious actions, to ensuring the needs of the economies of the region while addressing the issue of environmental quality and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” the declaration stated. The declaration reflects a significant triumph for the Philippines and other nations which consider themselves, in the words of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo put it, more as victims of the major gas emitters. “Countries like the Philippines contribute less than 1 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. We are not a villain as far as climate change is concerned. They call our kind of country a climate taker rather than a climate maker,” the President said Friday in her address before the 5th Global Filipino Networking Convention in Sydney. The President had earlier stated her government’s strong stand that any changes in the Kyoto Protocol should fall within the UNFCCC since the issue of climate change involves all countries, and not confined to APEC members. Future international action by the APEC, according to the Declaration, should be anchored on comprehensiveness, respect for different domestic circumstances and capacities, flexibility, the important role for low and zero emissions, energy sources and technologies, the importance of forests and land use, promoting open trade and investment and support for effective adaptation strategies. The APEC leaders expressed their commitment to the global objective of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. “We therefore call for a post-2012 international climate change arrangement … that strengthens, broadens and deepens the current arrangements and leads to reduced global emissions of greenhouse gases,” they said. APEC economies that are parties to the UNFCCC agree to work actively and constructively toward a comprehensive post-2012 arrangement at this year’s UNFCCC Conference of the Parties which Indonesia is hosting in December this year. Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who read the Declaration on live TV said the declaration “ forges a new international consensus on the challenge of global warming.” The declaration said concerted international action is needed and the APEC members support flexible arrangements to ensure their energy needs while contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The Sydney Declaration does not set an overall target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but it does commit APEC members to trying to improve energy efficiency by at least 25 percent by 2030. It also aims to increase forest cover in APEC countries by at least 20 million hectares within 13 years. PM Howard said the APEC Declaration will add to the momentum of future international meetings focused on climate change. "Firstly, the need for a long-term aspirational global emissions reduction goal, and that is enshrined in the Sydney Declaration," he said. "Secondly, the need for all nations, no matter what their stage of development, to contribute according to their own capacities and their own circumstances to reducing greenhouse gases," he added. |
| APEC leaders wear leather bush jackets as they pose for their traditional group picture |
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SYDNEY--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was
garbed in a traditional blue lapelled Australian Driza-Bone
leather bush jacket at the official photograph of the 21 leaders of the
member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum. After weeks of speculations on what the leaders would wear for APEC’s most lighthearted moment as Australia lacks of what could be called its national costume, finally today, before the opening of the retreat-style 15th APEC Leaders’ Economic Meeting at The Studio of the world-famous Sydney Opera House, the 21 APEC leaders officially posed for the traditional APEC leaders’ photograph wearing leather bush jackets. The official leaders’ photograph was taken with the Sydney Opera House as the backdrop. Contrary to reports that today’s Sydney weather would be wet, the sun was out but the leather jacket would add warmth to the leaders as the weather here is chilly. President Arroyo was in the front row with New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark on her right and Russian President Vladimir Putin on her left. The Driza-Bone jacket is part of Australia’s history and is now a way of life, some even say a state of mind. By practice, the 21 APEC leaders wear the host country’s traditional costume for the official photograph. Last year, in Hanoi, Vietnam during the 14th APEC Economic Leaders’ meeting, President Arroyo wore a pink lotus “ao dai” in silk. |
| PGMA, other APEC leaders get taste of Aussie culture, heritage |
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SYDNEY – Garbed in tailor-made, knee-length
Driza-Bone coats, leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
that included President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did the traditional wave at
the iconic Sydney Opera House here Saturday, signaling the start of two-day
high-level talks. The President, one of only three women leaders in the 21-member conclave, stood in between New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Russian President Vladimirovich Putin for the official leaders’ photograph. The all-weather Driza-Bone outfit, born 100 years ago when a sailor fashioned waterproof coats out of windjammer sails for protection, captures the essence of Australia’s culture and environment. It was derived from the Aussie slang meaning “dry as a bone.” Lunch for leaders at the Guillame at Bennelong consisted of Barramundi with endives, mushrooms, pearl of vegetables, yabbies, scallops and a light ginger emulsion followed by Roasted Saddle of Lamb with field mushrooms, kifler potatoes, confit of tomato and thyme jus and a selection of Australian fruit and cheese. Later in the day, the APEC leaders viewed a 45-minute performance featuring over 200 young performers and famous artists representing Australia's contemporary arts industry, culture and heritage. Under the direction of Artistic Director Stuart Maunder, Executive Producer of Opera Australia, the performance, titled "My Island Home" provided a snapshot of modern Australia and featured a show stopping finale of the classic song sung by the well-known recording artist Christine Anu. At the end of the cultural performance, a brief "River of Fire" fireworks lit up Sydney Harbour to mark the conclusion of the APEC Australia 2007 year as the world leaders and VIPs attended official dinners. The five-minute firework display complemented the tall ships and yachts on the harbour and the APEC logo that has dominated the Harbour Bridge since last week. For the past 10 months, the eyes of the Asia-Pacific have been firmly on Australia as host of the pre-eminent forum for facilitating economic growth in the region. Over 100 days of meetings have been held around Australia in preparation for the summit. |
