PH Consulate In General In Hong Kong Participates in 2019 HK Book Fair

The Philippine booth at the Hong Kong Book Fair 2019. From left: Philiippine Consulate General in Hong Kong Attache Charlene A. Beriana, Rex Book Store International General Manager Sonia A. Santiago, Consul Sheila Monedero-Arnesto, National Book Development Board Director Leonor G. Reyes and University of the Philippines (UP) Press representative Anna Jhorie P. Arciga. (Hong Kong PCG photo)

HONG KONG 09 August 2019 – Showcasing the Philippines’ culture and history through books, the Philippines participated the 30th Edition of Hong Kong Book Fair organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) on 17-23 July 2019.

The Philippine booth, located in the International Cultural Village Zone, showcased the Philippines’ culture and history, including children’s books and trade books. The Philippine booth housed the following exhibitors from Manila: University of the Philippines (UP) Press, represented by Anna Jhorie P. Arciga and Professor Gerardo T. Los Baños;  National Book Development Board (NBDB), represented by Director Leonor G. Reyes, and;  Rex Book Store International (RBSI, a subsidiary of Rex Group of Companies), represented by General Manager Sonia A. Santiago.

One of the largest and sought after book fair the Hong Kong Book Fair attracted 686 exhibitors from 39 countries and regions, and featured 15 thematic zones, such as General Books Pavilion, International Cultural Village, Children’s Paradise and English Avenue. 

Each zone features a wide variety of high-quality reading materials with cultural events catering to different ages and interests. It aslo featured seminars and around 310 cultural performances and storytelling sessions.

Almost 1 million people visited the Book Fair as buyers and attendees to the fair’s cultural events and activities.

Following the Book Fair, NBDB Director Reyes took the opportunity to donate 32 books from the Philippines to Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK)’s School of Translation. Through a Book Donation Ceremony with HSUHK Dean Gilbert Fong held at HSUHK.

The Philippines and HSUHK intend to undertake future collaborations to better promote cultural understanding and educational cooperation through future projects, such as visiting lecturers, language study and translation, and hiring of teachers of the Filipino language. HSUHK also expressed its interest in translating into other languages, the literary works that are originally written in the Filipino language to make them accessible to other cultures.

The First International Publishing Forum, co-organized by HKTDC and the Hong Kong Publishing Federation (HKPF), was also held in conjunction with the Book Fair to address unprecedented challenges caused by the internet era where new reading habits have developed. 

Books that were displayed during the 2019 Hong Kong Book Fair were generously donated by the NBDB and UP Press to the Consulate General’s Sentro Rizal as reference materials. The trade books displayed by RBSI were donated to the Filipino Workers’ Resource Center in Hong Kong for the use of distressed overseas Filipinos. END

The NBDB donated 32 books to the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK)’s School of Translation during the Donation Ceremony held at the HSUHK University.  Looking on from left to right were Consul Monedero-Arnesto, HSUHK Dean Gilbert Fong, Director Reyes, HSUHK Assistant Dean Dr. Shelby Chan and HSUHK Librarian Sarena Law. (Hong Kong PCG photo)

Director Reyes paid a courtesy visit to the Consulate General.  Standing beside her were Acting Head of Post Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan (left), Consul Monedero-Arnesto (right) and Attachés Beriana and  Luz M. Iglesias (rightmost and leftmost, respectively).

For more information, visit https://www.hongkongpcg.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHLinHK/.