Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Hong Kong (Agenzia Fides) – Bishop John Tong of Hong Kong presided the inauguration of the “Catholic area” of the annual Hong Kong Book Fair on July 22, the opening day of the Fair. He also blessed and presented a statement to Catholic priests, religious, and volunteers serving there, highlighting the importance of Catholic publications in evangelizing. According to a report from the Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), the Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, and Daoists have all been represented in the “Religious Workshop” area of the Fair, thus creating a favorable atmosphere for interreligious dialogue. The Catholic priests and religious take turns attending to the needs of the Fair's visitors, offering a “brief friendly dialogue,” also promoting the Year for Priestly Vocations. According to a Catholic worker, “the encouragement and participation of the Pastors aids in the promotion of the evangelization of the culture, which is why we are trying to organize a conference or interreligious encounter next year.”
The Hong Kong Book Fair, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, is being held July 22-28, 2009 and is an annual cultural appointment that has seen increased participation on a yearly basis. This year, it celebrates its 20th anniversary, with the theme: “An Open Book: Celebrating 20 Years of the Hong Kong Book Fair.” According to statistics from the Fair's official website, in 2008 the Fair had 829,967 visitors, featuring 485 publishers from all over the world, in an area of 33,167 mq. From 149 publishers in 1990, they reached 485 in 2008 and from nearly 200,000 visitors in 1990, they saw over 800,000 last year. The local Catholic Church has increased its interest in the annual event, in terms of evangelization and missionary purposes. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 27/7/2009)
