Book fair kicks off with record 680 exhibitors
A record 680 exhibitors from 39 countries and regions set out their titles on Wednesday as the city’s annual culture fest, the Hong Kong Book Fair, opened.
The largest book fair in Asia has attracted around 1 million booklovers annually in recent years, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said — one visitor for every seven Hong Kong residents.
Attending a cocktail reception to mark the launch, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor vowed to promote a comprehensive reading culture in Hong Kong.
She said the government has organized a series of events to help people from all walks of life appreciate the joy of reading.
Hundreds of early birds queued up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre before the opening to buy their favorite books and souvenirs.
Cheng Yu-yan, 10, from STFA Ho Yat Tung Primary School, arrived in the morning. It was the fourth year she joined the fair. Cheng said her family spent about HK$3,000 at the book fair every year.
Bookworms flock to the fair as they can buy books at lower prices than in any other places in the city.
A man, surnamed Chan, from local publishing house Cosmo Books said they have unreleased books and rare publications, such as the Dictionary of Cantonese.
Education highlighted
The book fair has put a special focus on education since its 1990 launch. In response to market demand, the fair invited a group of new exhibitors to bring their products which aim to enhance students’ learning experience with various approaches.
VDO English, a free online English education platform, stands out among other products and attracts visitors with its fresh approach of English education — teaching English through videos.
Describing the products as an educational TV station, Tan Yan, the director of VDO English, said there are 10 channel categories with more than 1,000 videos catering to a range of student interests. Most show hosts are native English speakers.
Students can learn English by watching videos with Chinese and English subtitles, and through supporting questionnaires to help them strengthen speaking and listening abilities.
Targeting students in Secondary 1 to 6 classes, VDO English has reached more than 80 schools and over 30,000 students in Hong Kong.
Cheng Hoo-keung, English panel head of Lung Cheung Government Secondary School, said VDO English helped boost teaching effectiveness in his class.
Videos are more attractive to students and make it easier for them to absorb knowledge, said Cheng. The reading and speaking ability of students in his school has improved significantly after using VDO English, he added.
Natasha Leung, senior publishing manager of Pearson Hong Kong, suggests parents choose English teaching material wisely from a number of products on the market. Those with native speakers and good reputations normally work better, she said.
Cultural events
Held from Wednesday to next Tuesday, the book fair will also present about 310 cultural events — including talks, exhibitions and forums.
Notable speakers include Lung Ying-tai, one of the most famous cultural figures in the Chinese community, Bei Dao, a contemporary Chinese poet and Ji Mi, a comic writer whose work has been adapted into various films and TV series.
The fair will also stage exhibitions with a wide variety of themes, ranging from the Silk Road to a journey to Zhejiang province to Cantonese Opera.