“Macao Pavilion” at the Hong Kong Book Fair promotes Macao’s culture of book diversity
The Macao Foundation and the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) co-operate for the eighth consecutive year in setting up the “Macao Pavilion” at the “2018 Hong Kong Book Fair”, holding a joint exhibition with the Macao Polytechnic Institute and the bookshop Plaza Cultural Macau, Lda. In order to promote Macao’s diversified publishing culture, the organiser has displayed excellent works of over 20 local entities in the publishing sector. The growth in the number of entities showcases the diversity within Macao’s publishing industry and encourages the development of the local sector. The “Macao Pavilion” has attracted a good number of visitors, creating a lively environment.
The Hong Kong Book Fair is one of the largest book fairs in Asia, and is running its 29th edition this year. Last year, the Fair attracted nearly 1 million visitors. This year, the Fair is being held from 18 to 24 July at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The “Macao Pavilion” is located at section IE-A20, showcasing over 800 Macao publications. It aims to introduce Macao’s unique culture to Hong Kong and foreign readers as well as to promote the achievements of each type of publication through the Hong Kong Book Fair platform.
On 19 July, IC launched the book Macao and the British, 1637 - 1842: Prelude to Hong Kong in conjunction with a lecture hosted by Professor Ye Nong of the Research Institute of the Chinese Culture and History of Jinan University, at the Grand Foyer located on the 3rd floor of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The talk began with a lively presentation of the first British expedition to China before depicting the development of Sino-British relations from 1637 to the 1840s. During this period, the Portuguese Macao Government secretly interacted with both the Chinese Qing Government and the British in private. A great number of readers joined the book launch and lecture.
The Macao Foundation also launched the book Macao Cantonese in the series “Macao Wisdom Collection”, in conjunction with a lecture, hosted by Lo Soi Man, held on 20 July at the Grand Foyer located on the 3rd floor of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. While Cantonese is widely spoken in Macao, in Hong Kong and in Guangdong Province, the accent and diction of Macao Cantonese is slightly different from other regions; the predecessors’ Lingnan accent was shaped by incidents and people in Macao following their settlement. The variation of accent throughout ages has also reflected the social development of Macao.
Local entities who have their works showcased at the “Macao Pavilion” include Pen of Macau, Macao Publishers' Association, Macao Daily News Publishing House, Association of Stories in Macao, Cultural Guildhall, Macao Library & Information Management Association, Macao Heritage Ambassadors Association, Macao Cultural Heritage Reinventing Studies Association, University of East Asia Open College Students’ Association, Macao Carpentry Trade Union, Macao Theatre Culture Institute, Step Out, Comuna de Pedra Arts and Culture Association, Macau Comickers Association, New Generation Culture Association, The Heritage Society, Ox Warehouse Hiu Kok Drama Association and Blue Blue Sky Arts Association, among others.
