Invention and Innovation Museum
~ by Cheung King Fung, Chairman of HKIA
One hundred years ago, Hong Kong was just a remote small fishing village. Today, She is one of the most important financial centres and advanced metropolitan cities with a galaxy of cultures originated from both East and West. In the high growth years, She was recognized as one of the “Four Little Dragons of Asia” bringing her people to prosperity. Despite the various challenges under worldwide recession and financial turmoil in recent years, She is looking to regain her superiority over the rest of the world with her people. Bestowed with the free trade policy, freedom of entry and departure, general bilingual environment, free and compulsory nine years education and an independent judiciary system…… , Hong Kong has been living and growing with the world civilizations in great harmony. Besides, with the traditional creativity and fighting spirit of her people, I strongly believe that Hong Kong will pass through the current hardship very soon and continue moving ahead with miracles.
I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day there is an “Invention and Innovation Museum” built in Hong Kong, the first in the world. One of its main themes is “Technology & Civilization - the past, present and the future”. Exhibits cover the early human civilizations including cave-dwelling, raw-eating, fire-cooking, farming, fishing, weaving, tools-making, house-building, vehicle-making and the “Four Great Inventions”…… up to the computer and outer space explorations.
There are mainly 5 objectives of this “Museum”, they are :
- To provide an attractive, informative, stimulating, introspective and public educational programme in showing both the direct and indirect impacts of technology on our daily life and its social, economic, political and cultural influences on this generation and the ones to come.
- To broaden the vision and mind of the general public in appreciating the development and utilization of technology, in Hong Kong and the rest of the world; bringing forth their understanding on its benefits to human life and hidden disasters if abused.
- To stimulate the introspective and creative thinking on being the only “intelligent creature” in this known universe; leading to the thoughts of our values, responsibilities, roles and missions.
- To strive the understanding of the real meaning of “fortune” and “happiness”; the responsibility to treasure what we have possessed from nature and from our neighbours; and
- To serve as a permanent “breeding ground of social education”, helping younger generations to understand the present via referring to the past and also linking the past with the future; offering the public at large to acquire knowledge and inspiration through the progress of invention in various periods in history; raising their awareness and interest in invention and innovation through imperceptive educational influences; bringing forth the generalization of invention education and creating wealth by invention.
With the huge historical and cultural wealth bestowed from our ancestors, Hong Kong people are also soaked with nutrients from the Western cultures in the past hundred years. We are destined to serve as a bridge between East and West, to bring forth universally a complete collection of intellectual achievements of mankind, from the past to present, from East to West. The best people and best place to complete this project, which can benefit future generations and make wealth to the society, are certainly in Hong Kong.
I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day it will be a miracle and will definitely come true with the determinations and efforts of the people in Hong Kong and the rest of the world. Can you give us a hand ?
The project needs both manpower and financial resources,I am now seeking philanthropist’s support to complete this great educational project!
Published in September 2002
我有一個夢
發明創新博覽中心
倡議者 : 香港發明協會 張景豐會長
一百多年前，香港祇是一個偏遠的小漁村，今天她已經是一個中西文化薈萃之現代化都市，也是一個重要的國際金融中心，並且曾經有過被譽為「亞洲四小 龍」之一的富裕光輝日子。雖然目前要面對經濟逆境大氣候的種種挑戰，但祇要我們能力保其原有優勢，例如自由貿易環境、自由出入境、兩文三語、普及教育基礎 和獨立司法制度等等，與世界文明接軌的必備條件之外，再加上積極鼓勵港人重新發揮其創意和奮鬥精神，相信我們可為香港再造一個新的歷史奇蹟。
今天我有一個夢，預見在香港建立一座世界首創的《發明創新博覽中心》，其主題之一為「科技文明話古今」，展品可由遠古穴居，茹毛飲血時代開始，經歷創造工具器皿、生火煮食、漁耕織布、建屋造車及「四大發明」等等……直至今日的電腦及探索太空時代。
此《博覽中心》之目標主要有五點：
- 提供一個具備吸引、情報、引發、內省及公教性質的計劃，以展示發明科技對人類日常生活之直接和間接衝擊，以及其對今天和未來年代之社會、經濟、政治及文化影響力。
- 擴展公眾視野和心智，可在香港及其他國家地區發展及應用科技，並讓人們鑑賞科技如何為人類生活帶來好處之餘，亦令人反省濫用科技所潛藏的災難。
- 激發人們的內省及創意思維，使其明白自身已知宇宙中唯一的「智慧」生命體，對於其價值、責任、定位及使命將有所承擔。
- 激發人們對「幸福」、「快樂」之瞭解，並對珍惜上天賜予及周圍他人供給而擁有的一切將有所承擔。
- 成為一個永久的「社教溫床」，對下一代，特別是青少年，將起到溫故知新、承先啟後的作用。讓廣大市民透過觀賞歷代發明演變及進步過程而獲得知識和啟發，並發揮潛移默化之功效，從而提高人們對發明創新的意識和興趣。對於科技發明教育的發展及發明創富，可發揮積極的作用。
我們繼承著祖先數千年源遠流長的歷史文化記憶，也曾有緣浸洗於百多年西方文明的營養液，香港人似乎命定要繼續為民族輸血及溝通中西而有所承擔。將古今中外的人類智慧成果匯集於香港並展示於世人眼前，負責完成此項造福後世及為社會創富之計劃，最佳人選及地點實非香港莫屬。
今天我有一個夢，就是期望我們能創造這個歷史奇蹟，但須全體香港有心人，甚至所有中國有心人的意志共識和力量來使夢想成真，你願意伸伸援手嗎？
要成就這個夢，須要得到人力和財力的支持，誠意徵求善長仁翁共同合作，完成這個人類的偉大教育工程！
發表於 2002 年 9 月