To show to the world its publishing and printing industries as well as facets of local arts and culture that contribute to the city's creativity, Hong Kong will participate in the Frankfurt Book Fair 2009 in Germany from October 14 to 18 (Frankfurt time).
With a history of six decades, the Frankfurt Book Fair is the largest of its kind in the world. With the sponsorship and support of the CreateHK office of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Home Affairs Bureau, a Hong Kong Pavilion will be set up to showcase the publishing industry's vitality and Hong Kong's latest developments on the arts and cultural front.
Occupying 128 square metres, the Hong Kong Pavilion will feature three themed zones. The Publishing and Printing Centre details how Hong Kong evolved into a publishing and printing hub in the region. The Cosmopolitan Culture zone introduces the city's unique cosmopolitan lifestyle. The third zone, called Creative Culture, offers a quick tour of some of the city's most acclaimed creative talent in fields ranging from literature and graphic novels to illustrations and animation.
To support Hong Kong's participation, the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, and the Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Carrie Yau, will officiate at a Hong Kong reception on October 15. The event provides a networking platform for local industry practitioners to meet their overseas counterparts. At the reception, Mr So will speak on the Government's measures to promote the creative industries.
Mr So will also attend the Global Chinese Publishing Forum hosted by the Mainland. The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau has sponsored Hong Kong industry representatives to participate in the forum with a view to promoting the publishing industry. Mrs Yau will visit the Hong Kong Pavilion and attend a forum on Hong Kong Urban Culture and Urban Literature sponsored by the Home Affairs Bureau.
During her stay in Frankfurt, Mrs Yau will meet the State Secretary of Hessen State Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts. She will also visit Vienna, a major European cultural capital, on October 16. Apart from networking with Austrian cultural experts, she will visit the MuseumsQuartier, one of the world's largest and most renowned cultural complexes, to learn about its successful experience which will shed light on the West Kowloon Cultural District project.
Mr So will depart Frankfurt for Hong Kong on October 16; Mrs Yau will return to Hong Kong on October 18.
Ends/Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:30