Media

HKU WAY Project to set up a Mobile Living Museum and launch new book on oral histories
to disseminate history of local fisheries and water communities in the Southern District

16 Oct 2015

Aberdeen has the richest history among all locations in the Southern District.  The history of fisheries and fishing communities in Aberdeen are invaluable cultural treasures.  We Are With You (WAY) Project implemented by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) since 2013 has been committed to preserving and promoting these rich history and culture through oral history project, cultural tours and exhibition activities.  The WAY Project will further set up the Water Community Mobile Living Museum and have a book launch on Memoryscape: Aberdeen Fishermen Oral Histories to enhance public understanding of the history of local fisheries and the water communities in the Southern District on Hong Kong Island. 

A briefing on setting up the Water Community Mobile Living Museum will be organized by HKU on 19 October 2015 (next Monday).  Mr. Douglas So, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) of HKU, and Ms. Leonie Ki, Director of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation will be the officiating guests.  In the briefing, the WAY Project team will share its achievements in promoting history of local fisheries and the water communities with Southern District Office, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, fishermen and community partners.  The plan to set up the Water Community Mobile Living Museum will also be introduced.  

The book talk will be moderated by Dr. Wong Wai-ling, author of Memoryscape: Aberdeen Fishermen Oral Histories, and Research Officer of the WAY Project, with fishermen as guest speakers.  Fishermen will share their memories of Aberdeen, a fishing port leading to the seas where the fishermen find their livings, experience complex emotions and develop their identities.

Members of the media are cordially invited to cover the event.  Details are as follows:
Date: 19 October 2015 (next Monday)
Time: 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Media registration starts at 2:45 p.m.)
Rundown:
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Speech by Mr. Douglas So, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) of HKU
- Speech by Ms Leonie Ki, Director of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation
- Video show
- Introduction of the Water Community Mobile Living Museum
- Visit of the “Stories of Aberdeen Fishing Folks Exhibition”
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Book talk on Memoryscape: Aberdeen Fishermen Oral Histories.
Venue: Postgraduate Hub (Rome Café), Level P3, Graduate House, 3 University Drive, HKU (Map)
Language: Cantonese

Officiating guests:
Mr. Douglas So, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement), HKU
Ms. Leonie Ki, Director of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation

Guests: 
Dr. Albert Chau, Dean of Student Affairs and Director of General Education, HKU
Fishermen Mr. Law Kam-shue, Ms. Law Wai-fong, Mr. Leung Pak-sun and Ms. Wong Tim-mui
Representative from Southern District Office
Dr. Chan Kwok-kuen, Acting Senior Fisheries Officer (Fisheries Management) of Agriculture,  Fisheries and Conservation Department

About the WAY Project
In 2012, the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation donated $10M to The University of Hong Kong to implement the WAY Project, which was launched in the academic year of 2013-14.  The WAY Project is a four-year community-based social capital development project in the Southern District.  Its objective is to build a district-based community network to empower the community to accumulate social capital and improve social mobility.  The project emphasizes on the mobilization and exchange of resources among different social groups in the Southern District to achieve mutual benefit.  HKU students and staff will contribute to improve the condition of the less privileged and empower them to improve their own conditions in the long run.  The ultimate goal is to develop a replicable model for social capital development, particularly with the involvement of staff and students of tertiary institutions.

For media enquiries, please contact:
HKU Centre of Development and Resources for Students Ms Carol Yuen (Tel: 2219 4861/ 9517 1025; Email: carolyky@hku.hk) or
Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation Ms. Miranda Chan (Tel: 2138 8342/ 9030 3679