"Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month" Commences in Shenzhen to Promote Cultural Exchange and Publishing Growth

2026-11-01 20:55 Last Updated At：11-02 13:23

"Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month" commences in Shenzhen

Presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), implemented by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation, and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), "Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month" commenced in Shenzhen today (November 1). The Hong Kong publishing industry will hold around 30 events in Shenzhen from today until December 5, including the "The World of Hong Kong Kung Fu" thematic exhibition and book fair, "Book Fairs of Selected Hong Kong Publications" and "Symposium on Historical Walk in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area", sponsored by CCIDA. These events aim to further promote exchanges and co-operation between the publishing sectors of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and to help the Hong Kong publishing industry explore more development opportunities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of "Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month" and "The World of Hong Kong Kung Fu" thematic exhibition and book fair this afternoon, the Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Miss Drew Lai, remarked that this was the fourth consecutive year for Hong Kong to participate in the Shenzhen Reading Month, in response to the "Shenzhen-Hong Kong Co-Reading Consensus" initiated by Shenzhen, with a view to enhancing the reading atmosphere of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Miss Laiand the Hong Kong industry delegation also attended the opening ceremony of the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month on the same evening to express support for Shenzhen's efforts in promoting reading for all.

As one of the highlights this year, the "The World of Hong Kong Kung Fu" thematic exhibition and book fair centres on Kung Fu culture and showcases Hong Kong's efforts in inheriting and innovating Chinese culture. The public are welcome to visit for free the exhibition and book fair held at the atrium of UpperHills in Shenzhen, from today until November 22. The "Book Fairs of Selected Hong Kong Publications" will take place from today until November 15 and November 30 at Fan Deng Bookstore and United Bookstore in Shenzhen respectively. During the period, selected Hong Kong publications will be on sale and a total of eight authors' talks and workshops will be organised. The "Symposium on Historical Walk in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" will take place at the Shenzhen Library on November 22, covering topics such as Lingnan culture, historical ties of overseas Chinese hometowns, inheritance of Chinese martial arts, and urban cultural development, with a view to further deepening cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

The CSTB has been participating in the Shenzhen Reading Month since 2023, promoting the atmosphere of reading for all through organising thematic exhibitions, talks, workshops and more. For more details on "Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month", please visit participationinszrm.hk (Chinese only).

Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Launches with Focus on Legal Collaboration and Innovation

UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of Asia-Pacific Liaison Office opens Hong Kong Legal Week 2026

The Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, an annual flagship event of the Department of Justice (DoJ), was launched today (November 2). As a landmark annual event in the legal community, the five-day event themed "Collaboration & Innovation: Legal Synergy for a Shared Future" brings together legal professionals, business leaders, policymakers, academics, and leading international legal organisations from Hong Kong and around the world to have in-depth discussions and exchanges on forward-looking issues such as regional legal co-operation, international dispute resolution, construction of foreign-related rule of law, lawtech and opportunities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Marking the centenary celebration of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), both leading international legal organisations will hold celebratory events during the Hong Kong Legal Week, making this year's programme particularly significant.

UNIDROIT Centenary: Regional Conference for Asia-Pacific and Opening Ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Liaison Office was held as the opening event of this year's Hong Kong Legal Week. The Opening Ceremony was officiated by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Cui Jianchun; the President of UNIDROIT, Professor Enzo Moavero-Milanesi; the Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, Professor Ignacio Tirado; and the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC. With the support of the Central Government, the DoJ has successfully secured the establishment of UNIDROIT's first office outside its seat in Rome in its 100 years of history, demonstrating Hong Kong's leading role as an international legal hub.

In his welcome remarks, Mr Lee said that today marks a double celebration, commemorating UNIDROIT's centenary and witnessing the opening of a new chapter for UNIDROIT – the establishment of its Asia-Pacific Liaison Office in Hong Kong. He noted that as a renowned international legal, trade and financial hub, Hong Kong strives to attract global organisations and talent, enable international legal co-operation and position Hong Kong as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" for East and West. By setting up a liaison office in Hong Kong, UNIDROIT not only enjoys benefits from co-operation with other partner organisations in the city, but also benefits from the network established by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy to promote capacity building in the region. The establishment of the office is a symbol of the collective ambition to build a more harmonious and prosperous future for the Asia-Pacific and beyond.

The Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, Dr Yu Ning, said in her video speech that UNIDROIT setting up a liaison office in Hong Kong reflects the international community's high regard for Hong Kong and marks a significant achievement in the city's continuous effort in building itself as an international legal centre. She said that in recent years, the HKSAR has continued to strengthen its exchanges and co-operation with UNIDROIT under the framework of "one country, two systems", further showcasing to the world its strengths including its robust common law system, well-established judicial system and extensive pool of international legal talent.

Professor Enzo Moavero-Milanesi said that UNIDROIT was founded with the aim to allow different parties to work on an equal basis towards the harmonisation of private law. Noting that many countries of the Asia-Pacific region are UNIDROIT member states, he said that the decision to open a liaison office in Hong Kong, with its strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region, is intended to give stronger impetus to the development of UNIDROIT's work in the future.

Delivering his opening remarks, Mr Lam said that Hong Kong's relationship with UNIDROIT is longstanding. The establishment of the liaison office in Hong Kong will take the city's relationship with UNIDROIT to the next level, and will provide a stable and effective platform in the Asia-Pacific region to facilitate the development of international private law. He noted that the presence of the three major private international law organisations at the Hong Kong legal hub, namely theUNIDROIT Asia-Pacific Liaison Office, the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, and the DoJ Project Office for Collaboration with UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law), together with the International Organization for Mediation, the AALCO (Asian African Legal Consultative Organization) Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre and other international institutions, will create synergy. It will showcase Hong Kong's unique advantage as a distinctive platform to facilitate closer collaboration among international and regional institutions, serving as a strong testament to the theme of this year's Hong Kong Legal Week: "Legal Synergy for a Shared Future".

The Regional Conference for the Asia-Pacific in celebration of UNIDROIT's centenary came right after the Opening Ceremony. More than 700 registrations from more than 40 countries or regions were received to attend the conference. Most of the participants, including representatives of the member states, governments and organisations supporting UNIDROIT, as well as its long-standing partners in the Asia-Pacific region, gathered to review UNIDROIT's achievements of a century in modernising and harmonising private law, and to explore how it can continue to foster regional development in its next century. The conference featured three panel discussions, with speakers from Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Uzbekistan and other jurisdictions. The discussions focused on the impact of UNIDROIT’s normative and institutional work in the region, while taking a prospective lens to examine opportunities and emerging challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, said in his closing remarks that UNIDROIT opening its first ever overseas office in Hong Kong fully reflects the international community's vote of confidence in Hong Kong's legal system. The Liaison Office will serve not only as a platform for dialogue with governments on the development and implementation of its instruments, but also as a hub for collaboration with academia, arbitral and mediation institutions, financial institutions and other key stakeholders. In an increasingly interconnected region with diverse legal systems, there is a clear need for UNIDROIT to work in partnership with other international organisations in the Asia-Pacific region to deliver legal infrastructure which is attuned to the needs of the region, Dr Cheung added.

The 3rd Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit will be held tomorrow (November 3). With the theme of "Advancing Future-Ready Legal Infrastructure to Foster Digital Innovation, Sustainable Growth, and Regional Connectivity in the Asia-Pacific" this year, the participants will focus on issues at the forefront of the future development of the Asia-Pacific region, examining the role of transnational commercial law in fostering digital innovation, sustainable growth and resilient markets in the region.

Other events during the Hong Kong Legal Week include the celebration event of UNCITRAL's 60th anniversary to be held on Wednesday (November 4); the Fourth Legal Forum on Interconnectivity and Development and the Hong Kong Mediation Lecture 2026 on Thursday (November 5); as well as the Second Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area Lawyers Forumon Friday (November 6).

In addition, the three-day Hong Kong LawTech Fest 2026 will kick-start on Wednesday, featuring dynamic exhibitions and live demonstrations to foster collaboration between legal and technology professionals. A highlight of the fest, the LawTech Forum, will take place on Thursday. Under the theme "Human in the Loop, Integrity at the Core - Redefining Legal Practice with LawTech", leading lawtech experts and stakeholders from diverse backgrounds will exchange views at the Forum.

For more details of Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, please visit the dedicated website at www.legalweek.hk. A live broadcast will be available on the dedicated website and at webcast.info.gov.hk.

"Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month" Commences in Shenzhen to Promote Cultural Exchange and Publishing Growth

HK

"Hong Kong's Participation in the 27th Shenzhen Reading Month" Commences in Shenzhen to Promote Cultural Exchange and Publishing Growth

Next Article

Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 Launches with Focus on Legal Collaboration and Innovation

Hong Kong Customs Seizes $1.06 Million in Drugs and Cigarettes at Airport, Arrests Mainland Passenger.

Hong Kong Investigates New Mpox Case Amid Rising Infections and Calls for Vaccination

Hong Kong Response Exhibition Showcases Architecture at Biennale Architettura 2025 in Venice

Hong Kong Tourism Strategy Committee Discusses Plans for Economic Development and Visitor Growth

HKMA and HKUST Launch Post-Quantum Cryptography Toolkit to Enhance Banking Sector's Cybersecurity Preparedness

HKMA Warns Public About Fraudulent Websites Linked to Octopus Cards

HKMA Warns Public About Fraudulent Banking Scams and Phishing Attempts