PVLF 2025

The 32nd Hong Kong Book Fair begins

on Jul 07, 2022

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will host the 32nd HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair from Wednesday, July 20, to Tuesday, July 26, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). This year's Book Fair, one of the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), has hosted over 600 seminars and cultural events and attracted renowned authors.

The Book Fair's overarching subject of "History and City Literature," which echoes the slogan "Reading the World: Stories of Hong Kong," will guide attendees through Hong Kong's cultural and historical evolution and showcase the beauty of the city via the works of this year's featured authors. The HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and HKTDC World of Snacks, which are anticipated to draw a combined total of over 700 exhibitors, will operate concurrently with the Book Fair, providing attendees with stimulation for the mind, body, and palate with a single entry ticket.

The theme this year, "History and City Literature," chosen by the Hong Kong Book Fair Cultural Events Advisory Panel, is particularly significant, according to Sophia Chong, the HKTDC's deputy executive director. The city's historical transformation from a modest fishing town to an international metropolis can only be so accurately described and recorded by words and letters. These innumerable fantastic publications assist in telling many of the city's tales and showcasing its distinctive character in a striking and enduring manner. Renowned authors have been invited by the Book Fair to share their creative processes with the public and promote the love of reading.In addition to offering a variety of sporting goods and experiences, the HKTDC Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo and HKTDC World of Snacks will be staged in conjunction with the Book Fair.

Thematic exhibitions emphasise the culture and history of Hong Kong

Four themed exhibitions will be held at the Art Gallery at the HKCEC Hall 3 Concourse in keeping with the year's theme. Five distinguished authors, including (in no particular order) Ting Sun-Pao, Lui Tai-Lok, Elizabeth Sinn, the late Yeh Ling-Feng, and Cheng Po-hung, will have their works on display in the "History Writers" exhibition.

To assist readers in better comprehending the philosophy that underpinned their lives and achievements, a selection of their publications, out-of-print works, manuscripts, and priceless collections will be on exhibit. The authors will also discuss their writing processes and research methods for studying Hong Kong's history. Yeh Ling-daughter Feng's Yeh Chung-man will represent him at the Book Fair.

The interactive display "City Literature" will showcase 25 literary works about Hong Kong and take viewers on a tour of the city's various neighborhoods from a variety of views, including historical structures, streets, housing estates, and lifestyles.

"Tastes of Hong Kong" and "Hong Kong Architecture" are the other two shows with a similar theme. "Tastes of Hong Kong," an exhibition that was put together in partnership with Cheng Po-hung, Lau Tsz-Chun, James Ng, Wu Gui-long, the Chinese Culinary Institute, Tao Heung Museum of Food Culture, and Yung Kee Restaurant, charts the development of the city's culinary culture through the display of artifacts like a rice dispensing certificate from 1953, a number of priceless old menus, rare vintage tableware, and miniatures of vintage In the meantime, the "Hong Kong Architecture" show, which is organized in collaboration with Urban Sketchers Hong Kong and National Geographic, features works of art by artists that depict the historical landmarks of Hong Kong.

The "Eight Seminar Series" brings together authors and readers

The "Eight Seminar Series" is still a standout feature of the Book Fair. This year's themes, include "Stories of Hong Kong," "Renowned Writers," "English and International Reading," "World of Knowledge," "Children and Youth Reading," "Lifestyle," "Hong Kong Cultural and Historical," and "Personal Development and Spiritual Growth," encourage readers to experiment with various book genres and develop new passions.

The HKTDC, in collaboration with Ming Pao and Yazhou Zhoukan, is hosting the "Renowned Writers Seminar Series" once more, inviting eminent authors to share their creative views. The Mao Dun Literature Prize winner Liu Zhen-Yun, documentary photographer Liu Heung-Shing, Hong Kong historian Sun Sai-shing, an expert on Chinese literature Xu Zi-dong, art curator Li Pi, and internationally famous art critic Johnson Chang are among those who will be speaking.

A number of well-known English and foreign-language authors will be invited as part of the "English and International Reading Series," which is sponsored by the international online book retailer Book Depository, to share their fascinating writing journeys and offer readers advice on how to craft engrossing stories at a series of online and live seminars. They include the Sunday Times Top 10 bestselling author Gillian McAllister, the British author Simon Toyne, who hosts a true-crime TV show, the Chinese author Maisie Chan, who was born in Britain and won the Jhalak Children's & YA Prize 2022, and British author Clare Mackintosh, whose books have sold more than two million copies.

Author of more than 25 children's novels Mio Debnam and seasoned China correspondent Mark O'Neill will be present at the exhibition. Chua Lam, a food critic and connoisseur, Sham Chi-ming, the former director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Chan Ka-Leung, the dean of the faculty of medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Chong Mui-ngam, a well-known screenwriter, and So Wa-wai, a retired athlete from Hong Kong who has won numerous Paralympic gold medals, will all be hosting seminars as part of other series.

Additionally, the "Storytelling by Celebrities" events will continue at this year's fair. Former Chinese champion divers Guo Jing-jing and Wu Siu-hong of Hong Kong's bowling team, Chief Curator Mok Ka-wing of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Executive Director Andy Ho of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, and seasoned journalist Karen Cheng will all be sharing their motivational tales with kids.

Experiences at the Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo that were exciting

The Hong Kong Sports and Leisure Expo this year will include a variety of sports and leisure brands, goods, and experiences across eight thematic zones. The Hong Kong Lacrosse Association will provide demonstrations and minigames of lacrosse, Challenger Z-ntertainment Limited will host an e-sports racing competition and simulator trials, and Wings Flight Academy will offer free flight simulators experiences, and GreenLive Enterprises Limited will offer free golf simulator trials.

Numerous thrilling sports demonstrations and performances will also be shown across the fair floor. In addition to a freestyle soccer performance, a Japanese dance performance, and an immersive one-on-one virtual reality tour of Kai Tak Sports Park, there will be star-sharing sessions with Hong Kong motorsports racing driver Darryl O'Young and members of the Hong Kong National Baseball Team.

Additionally, Photography World will compile a selection of cameras, including the first mirrorless camera with an F2 aperture and a high-magnification zoom lens as well as Kodak cameras. At the expo, photographers will also share their insights. Board Games, another themed area, will display a range of table games, including those created by Ha! Design Studio Limited, worked with TamJai SamGor Mixian and Lee Kum Kee to release "Tam Jai Jeh Jeh" and "Hong Kong Wet Market," two board games with regional themes.

This year, the Japan Pavilion has grown by 20% in size. Along with the Japan National Tourism Organization and 10 Japanese prefectures and cities, Kadokawa Corporation, one of the top four publishing houses in Japan, will showcase picturesque locations and traditional culture from Japan.

World of Snacks is back with an international range of delectable snacks

After last year's first event was a success, World of Snacks is back this year with six themed zones: Travel Delights, Chocolate and Sweet Factory, Oldie Snacks, Yummy & Healthy, Party Time, and Snack Bar. These zones will include more than 1,000 well-known snacks from around the world.

Prawn crackers from Nagoya are available at Travel Delights, along with matcha-no-sato egg rolls from Yamamasa Koyamaen, crispy fish bones from Taiwan, original pineapple cakes, and Wu Sogdian meat muffins. Oldie Snacks provides crunchy peanuts with shrimp roe from the 70-year-old peanut brand Tsui Heung Food Factory, mixed nuts from the 30-year-old local food company Butterfly Business, and coconut candy and coconut ice cream from the local 100-year-old brand Yan Chim Kee. Greek pink rock salt pistachios, vegan chocolate flakes, organic nuts, and more items are available at Yummy & Healthy. Bears & Friends, a well-known German confectionery company, will be featured by Chocolate and Sweet Factory, and Papabubble, a Spanish maker of handmade rock candies, will host a live rock candy workshop. Snack Bar, on the other hand, brings together a variety of neighborhood businesses to market homemade snack products.

From July 21 to 24, the HKCEC will host the HKTDC Education & Careers Expo, which will take place concurrently with the Book Fair and other activities. At this one-stop event, young people and job seekers can get the most recent information on educational and employment options. Free admission is offered.

Participants' safety is ensured by improved on-site sanitation practices

The HKTDC places a high focus on public safety, and numerous precautions will be taken during the concurrent events to safeguard participants' health. All staff members, exhibitors, and visitors must adhere to the COVID-19 protocols of the HKSAR Government by donning masks inside the venue, using the LeaveHomeSafe smartphone app, and presenting proof of their COVID-19 immunisation record before entering the HKCEC. No food, drinks, or food tasting will be permitted within the venue, including at the booths, unless in designated food and beverage sections.

Temperature-screening stations, the availability of hand sanitizers and disinfection supplies at various points around the HKCEC, as well as improved cleaning and disinfection within the site, are additional safety precautions.

The HKTDC will launch morning entrance tickets, night admission tickets, as well as a unique re-entry promotion, to ensure a more even flow of visitors throughout the day. There won't be any physical ticket sales at the fairgrounds in order to reduce touch and prevent using cash. The entrance's toll booths accept Octopus cards as payment for entry. Below are further specifics regarding the ticketing arrangements.

A hybrid July for culture

As part of the Cultural July citywide campaign, the HKTDC is working with numerous libraries, museums, shopping centers, cafes, bookstores, and cultural and educational institutions to organise a number of cultural events in the 18 districts of Hong Kong from June 24 through July 31. These events will run concurrently with the Book Fair. Numerous seminars held by well-known authors, family workshops, plays, and exhibitions are among the events that enable the general public to learn more and advance the city's reading culture.

In a nod to digitisation trends, the HKTDC will again set up a Cultural Journey Online webpage on the Book Fair website to provide resources for activities such as online reading and to offer e-reading resources, seminars, and exhibitions.

The HKTDC

A statutory organisation called the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) was created in 1966 with the goal of fostering, assisting, and expanding Hong Kong's trade. The HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and commercial hub through its 50 offices worldwide, including 13 in Mainland China. In order to develop commercial possibilities for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences, and business missions. Through research studies and online news sources, the HKTDC additionally disseminates current market insights and product information.