Conferences and Cultural Exchanges

Conferences

Departmental arts managers are sent to international conferences and festivals to keep abreast of the latest developments in the arts, to foster exchange with their international counterparts and to scout out quality overseas programmes for presentation in Hong Kong. In 2008-09, representatives of the Department attended an International Congress entitled Ubuntu Revisited, held by the International Society for the Performing Arts in South Africa, and the World Congress and Performing Arts Festival for Young People in Australia.

Exchanges with Mainland China and Macao

Reciprocal visits were arranged between the Department and cultural bodies from Mainland China and Macao to enhance cultural exchange, improve co-operation and extend networking. Amongst the visitors to Hong Kong in 2008-09 were delegates from the Bureau of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Cultural Affairs of the Ministry of Culture, Department of Culture of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Nanshan Government, Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Bureau of Culture of Shenzhen Municipality, Shenzhen Museum, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Library of Beijing Sport University, Shenzhen Library and Shenzhen Children's Library.

Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-sing (middle), Director General of the Department of Culture of Guangdong Province, Mr Fang Jian Hong (left), and President of the Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ms Heidi Ho (right), signed the Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Exchange and Co-operation Development Plan 2009-2013 during the tenth Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Co-operation Meeting held in Hong Kong on February 20, 2009. The aim of the agreement is to strengthen the scope of co-operation, and bring it to a higher level, for the mutual benefit of the three locations.

Under the umbrella of the Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Co-operation Meeting, five performances of a cultural exchange programme entitled Journey to the West were staged in May 2008 at Sha Tin Town Hall. This acrobatic programme by the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe of China was well received by the Hong Kong audience. In addition, the Young Peacocks Cantonese Opera Troupe of Zhanjiang in Guangdong participated in Cantonese Opera Day in Hong Kong and performed two Cantonese opera excerpts at Tuen Mun Town Hall and Sheung Wan Civic Centre in November 2008 and December 2008, respectively.

A total of 180 creative artists from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou joined hands in the fabulous acrobatic drama Journey to the West, which was staged with excellent lighting, set and costumes.

To further strengthen and promote cultural exchange and co-operation amongst Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, the Home Affairs Bureau hosted the tenth Greater Pearl River Delta Cultural Co-operation Meeting in February 2009 in Hong Kong. About 50 representatives of the LCSD attended the meeting to discuss various aspects of cultural co-operation, including the development and exchange of performing arts talent and programme collaboration; the interflow of cultural information; heritage and museum co-operation; library co-operation and exchanges; the promotion of Cantonese opera; and further study on the development of the cultural and creative industries.

Efforts also continued throughout the year to strengthen cultural links and co-operation with public libraries outside of Hong Kong. The websites and online catalogues of the Hong Kong Public Libraries, the Sun Yat-Sen Library of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Library and the Macao Central Library were linked to allow library news and collections to be shared. As part of the cultural exchange programme with libraries in the Pearl River Delta region, a photograph exhibition entitled Memories of the Past: Joint Exhibition of Old Photos was held to showcase everyday life in Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen and Guangdong in the 20th century.