Chinatown exhibition explores HK ties

London's Chinatown is taking a trip down memory lane with an exhibition showcasing the lives of people from the local Chinese community during the past 80 years and telling the stories of those who made the journey to the UK from Hong Kong.

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Visitor view pictures at the London exhibition.

A highlight of A Tale of Two Cities－Connecting London and Hong Kong at the China Exchange is the story of around 100 female orphans who were sent to the UK through the International Social Service UK Hong Kong Adoption Project in the 1960s and 70s. Orphans aged between 2 and 4 were fl own from Hong Kong to London so they could start new lives with adopted families. Some of them have been contacted by the British Airways Heritage Collection and have shared their stories.

The exhibition is the last of a series of events that celebrate the 80 years that British Airways has connected London and Hong Kong. It was organized by the airline and the Ming-Ai (London) Institute.

The maiden flight between London and Hong Kong left on March 14, 1936 and took 10 days. Today, it takes 12 hours.

Li Chungwen, dean at the Ming-Ai (London) Institute said: "It is an absolute pleasure for us to be part of this exhibition. Our aim is to collect, to preserve and to share cultural heritage stories like these with the general public. It is wonderful to see some of the precious artifacts and we hope all the visitors will enjoy the exhibition as much as I do."

The exhibition will also show how air travel has impacted cultural and economic exchange. For airplane enthusiasts there is also a chance to see large aircraft models on display, vintage uniforms and decades-old inflight menus.

Four free lectures and seminars will also be held.

Richard Tams, British Airways' executive vice-president for China said: "We are extremely honored to be able to work with the Ming-Ai (London) Institute for the three exhibitions in Hong Kong and London, none of which would have happened without their exceptional curatorship."

He hopes the event will bring back fond memories for those who have travelled between the cities.

Tams added: "We are also very grateful for the generous support from the British Chinese Heritage Centre, China-Britain Business Council, Care for Children, and China Exchange, London, who helped make this exhibition a successful one."

The exhibition is open to the public until Feb 26.