Red carpet ready for CHOGM
Final preparations are underway ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Perth next month. Over 4,000 visitors are expected to visit Perth for the event, including representatives of 53 Commonwealth nations including Presidents and Prime Ministers, their foreign ministers, key business people, journalists, and community and youth leaders. Her Majesty the Queen is set to open the proceedings on October 28th. The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, commonly referred to as CHOGM, is held every two years and allows Commonwealth leaders meet to discuss important issues, policies and initiatives.
Planning for the event is in its final stages, with the world class Perth Exhibition and Convention Centre set to be the main meeting venue. Kings Park, which boasts incredible views of Perth and the Swan River will house the Leader’s Retreat. The purpose built State Reception Centre has been completed and officially opened. Wooden beams recycled from the Perry Lakes stadium which hosted the 1962 Commonwealth Games, have been made into seating benches which adorn the area around the new State Reception Centre.
The Agent General Kerry Sanderson AO will attend the event, and says it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the city to the world.
“It’s almost 50 years since Perth hosted the Commonwealth Games, and a lot has changed since then. The state and the city have matured to become the engine room of Australia’s economy,” she said.
More than 80,000 flowers and seedlings will be planted in public spaces around the city in the lead up to event, ensuring the city is in full bloom by the end of October.
Floral murals at selected entry points to the city will feature flowers planted in shapes of the CHOGM logo, the City of Perth crest and even the alphabet letters to spell out CHOGM.
The event will be preceded by the Commonwealth Business Forum, from Tuesday 25th of October until the 27th. The theme of the forum is “Partnering for Global Growth: The Commonwealth, Indian Ocean and the Pacific Rim”. Confirmed speakers include 2004 Nobel Prize winner in Economics and former fellow of the Brookings Institution Professor Edward Prescott and internationally renowned economist Professor Nouriel Roubini, widely known as the man who predicted the Global Economic Crisis. Other speakers will include the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and business leaders from some of the world’s most significant companies including, Chevron, Rio Tinto, and BP. The leaders of several Western Australian companies will also take part including Andrew Forrest, Chairman of the Fortescue Metals Group and Michael Chaney AO, Chairman of Woodside.
A series of public events have been scheduled to coincide with the event. The eight day Commonwealth Festival, from the 23rd to the 30th of October is a friendly event celebrating the people and culture of the Commonwealth. The eight day calendar of events includes outdoor concerts, world-class exhibitions, art, films, street theatre, and more than 70 other free activities.
The Minister for Culture and the Arts, Mr Day says the festival will put Western Australian talent on display as well as celebrate the people and cultures of the Commonwealth.
“The Perth Cultural Centre and surrounding venues will be transformed into a hive of free events and activities for West Australians and visitors to enjoy during CHOGM,” he said.
“Artists and performers from Australia and 16 Commonwealth countries such as India, South Africa, Barbados, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom will help the Perth Cultural Centre become the People’s Space.
The People’s Forum and a Youth Forum will encourage people of all ages from across the Commonwealth to discuss the issues important to them. Several major sporting events, including a netball match between the world’s top two teams, Australia and New Zealand, will be held in the week preceding CHOGM.
The Premier Colin Barnett has also unveiled a special sports medallion, which will be presented to players involved in the CHOGM 2011 netball and hockey tournaments. The Perth Mint created the silver medallion and only 260 will be produced. Struck from 1 ounce of 99.9 per cent pure silver, the medallion’s coloured reverse design portrays a Western Australian black swan against a backdrop of the Swan River and the Perth cityscape.
Image 1 The Premier Colin Barnett holding one of the sports medallions produced by the Perth Mint
Images 2 & 3 & 4 The foyer of the new State Reception Centre, the wattle motif detailing on the exterior of the new State Reception Centre and one of the floral tributes for CHOGM
