HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair 2011
The HKTDC Hong Kong Book Fair exert on cultural life in Asia. This year, more than 520 exhibitors will participate in the fair. The fair will also feature some 270 cultural events under the theme “Reading the World．Reading as Self-Discovery”.Alongside the always-popular General Books Pavilion, new and expanded highlights were very well received. The enlarged English Avenue drew large numbers of visitors, and showed that Hong Kong is a hub not just of Chinese culture and literature, but of the English-language books of all type. In 2010, English Avenue took up about 50% more space than the previous year, featured the largest display of English books in the fair’s history.
Renowned Writers Series
The fair’s English author participation this year is also unprecedented – in numbers, in international reputation and in the sheer variety of their involvement. Highlights include the open public forum presented by four celebrated British authors: Nicholas Coleridge, Adrian Anthony Gill, Tom Parker Bowles and David Starkey. The forum, “How and What and Why do Writers Write?” will be moderated by Hong Kong businessman and author Sir David Tang.
Other notable English-language authors appearing at the July Book Fair include Wendy Cope, Ridley Pearson, Julia Lovell, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Tabish Khair, Justin Hill and Xu Xi.
Chinese-language authors from all over the world are taking part in the Book Fair’s Renowned Writers Seminar Series, organised with Yazhou Zhoukan magazine.
The Digital Word
Another major trend that was fully embraced at the 2010 edition and will play an even higher profile in 2011 is digital media. This year, the e-Books & e-Learning Resources zone will showcase the latest e-books and digital-reading products from over 25 exhibitors, while a Digital Interactive Zone allowing visitors to operate electronic readers and browse reading material in e-books.
The Hong Kong Book Fair provides the publishing industry with the biggest platform in Asia for promoting a huge array of publications in Chinese language as well as foreign languages, particularly English. But on a higher level, the event is also very effective in promoting culture and encouraging reading among all sections of society, especially through activities such as readings, forums and presentations with internationally renowned authors.
