Hong Kong to Launch First ICH Month in June, Showcasing Cultural Heritage Activities and Events.

LCSD launches first Hong Kong ICH Month in June

​In the 2024 Policy Address, the Chief Executive proposed organising Hong Kong ICH Month to promote the safeguarding and passing on of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). In support of the annual Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on the second Saturday of June designated by the country, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office (ICHO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the first Hong Kong ICH Month in June with the theme of ICH Around Town, presenting a series of rich and diversified activities involving over 80 ICH performances, 60 interactive experiential booths and 20 ICH Highlight Tours to give the public and tourists greater insight into the ICH of Hong Kong and the Mainland, and enable them to experience the cultural richness of ICH and the pleasure it brings.

​Activities throughout the month will cover over 100 ICH items and bring together over 50 ICH practitioners, including representative bearers of national ICH. This annual ICH month is expected to attract over 100 000 participants.

​Among the fascinating activities to be held during Hong Kong ICH Month 2025, the free ICH Highlight Tours will bring the public and tourists to six selected districts, namely Yau Tsim Mong, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Eastern and the Islands, and explore special ICH of the communities. Registration will open on May 16 and details will be announced later. Information maps and guides of the ICH Highlight Tours as well as videos will be rolled out at the end of May to help the public and tourists learn more about the relevant ICH items in these districts.

​Carnivals or fun days will be held in various districts across Hong Kong on several weekends and Sundays in June, which will be suitable for all ages. Under the theme of ICH festive events across Hong Kong, the Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 Opening Ceremony cum ICH Carnival to be held on May 31 and June 1 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, and will have performances including Hakka unicorn dance in Hang Hau in Sai Kung, floating colours parade in Cheung Chau, Engor, Cantonese opera excerpts and dragon/lion dance. There will also be interactive booths showcasing Yip Man Wing Chun; rowing of dragon boat on land, which is a part of Hoi Luk Fung/Hoklo traditional wedding ceremonies (dragon boat dance); and unicorn dance, etc.

​The ICH Infinity∞ Fun Day at the Hong Kong ICH Centre in Sam Tung Uk Museum in Tsuen Wan, scheduled for June 14 and 15, will present an ICH fashion show and Nanyin performances with a fusion of tradition and innovation. Interactive booths featuring blown sugar and face threading techniques will also be available.

​The Vibrant ICH will be held at the New Town Plaza and Sha Tin Town Hall on June 22. Under the theme of "ICH Encounter: Hong Kong X Jiangxi", in addition to performances and booths featuring Hong Kong ICH items including the Pok Fu Lam fire dragon dance, puppetry and the Chinese brush making technique, there will also be performances of the representative items of the national ICH such as Gannan traditional tea plucking opera and Xingguo mountain song.

​The ICH Flavours Carnival to be held at Oil Street Art Space on June 28 and 29 will feature the food culture of ICH. Participants can experience the making techniques of Jiangxi Gannan Hakka pounded tea, shrimp paste blocks and shrimp paste, sweet potato cake and rice dumpling with lye at the workshops and booths.

​Another highlight is the "Genesis and Spirit - Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition on Jiangxi's Ganzhou Hakka Culture" (tentative title) at the Hong Kong Central Library, which runs from June 14 to July 1. The exhibition will introduce representative Hakka-related ICH items of Ganzhou in Jiangxi, together with around 40 other representative ICH items from the province. During the exhibition period, there will be over 40 performances, demonstrations, interactive experiential activities, talks, etc.

​The LCSD will collaborate with the cultural promotion organisation ICH June to hold a seminar on the theme of "Safeguarding and Developing ICH at the Same Time" at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum on June 14. Scholars and ICH bearers from the Guangdong-Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) will be invited to participate and explore the transmission and development of ICH in the GBA from an academic perspective. A "public unconference" will also take place on the same day to engage secondary school students, tertiary students, youth culture groups, and members of the public in discussions on ICH-related issues.

​Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the ICHO of the LCSD, with ICH June as a strategic partner. For details, please visit the website www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/hk_ich_month_2025.html.

​For programme details of strategic and other partners, please visit the following websites and social media:

ICH June (ichjune.net) (Chinese version only);

Sik Sik Yuen (Facebook "Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple"www.facebook.com/wongtaisintemple);

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (temples.tungwahcsd.org/latest-events/detail?id=2198&_lang=en); and

Po Leung Kuk Museum (www.poleungkuk.org.hk/service/po-leung-kuk-museum/china-cultural-and-natural-heritage-day) (Chinese version only).

LCSD launches first Hong Kong ICH Month in June Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LCSD launches first Hong Kong ICH Month in June Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LCSD launches first Hong Kong ICH Month in June Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

LCSD launches first Hong Kong ICH Month in June Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation

The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.

An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases