Over 120 colourful big Buddy Bears with unique features are on their world tour and they have now arrived in Hong Kong meeting us at the Central Lawn of the Victoria Park until June 27, 2004. The visit of these lovely Buddy Bears is to promote love, peace and solidarity and foster public arts, showing the public how we can incorporate art into our daily lives.

In 2002, a German Dr Klaus Herlitz and his wife, Eva, had a mind of creating a symbol representing understanding and tolerance among nations. As they thought that people from different countries were fond of bears, regarding them as friendly and lovely, they came up with the idea of creating Buddy Bears.

Painted by artists from different countries, the design on each Buddy Bear is unique and special. In the exhibitions around the world, Buddy Bears are all hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder to give the message of solidarity, tolerance and understanding among nations.

In the summer and autumn of 2002, over 120 Buddy Bears were first displayed in Berlin, Germany. The exhibition soon became a signature event of the city and attracted more than 1.5 million visitors.

One of the aims of the United Buddy Bears Exhibition is to help the needy children around the world. On completion of the world tour, these Buddy Bears will be sold by charitable auction in Berlin, Germany. The funds so raised will be donated to the UNICEF.