HK-Tainan Cultural & Creativity Exchange Programme

As preservation and revitalization has become a crucial issue in HK recently, the Creativity Lab (c!ab) of our College has organized the HK-Tainan Cultural & Creativity Exchange Programme with the Institute of Creative Industries Design (iCiD) of  National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in the last term. The Programme was designed to investigate the difference on creativity cultural industry development and heritage preservation in two cities of similar background. It was hoped that the students could learn from their successful experience in Tainan and propose innovative and viable suggestions to Sai Kung, a fishing village with valuable historical heritage which is under severe influence of urbanization. The Programme successfully aroused public awareness on the problem of aging city with the reports by various medias. The leading teachers and participants were invited to share their experience and research results in the interview. Please check the news reports by Oriental Daily and Ming Pao to learn more of their projects!  

Programme Highlights

Leading Teachers: Professor Chiu Chi-yue (趙志裕教授), College Fellow and Dean, Faculty of Social Science Professor Annisa C.H. Lee (李賴俊卿教授), College Associate Master, School of Journalism and Communication Professor Letty Y.Y. Kwan (關欣儀教授), College Member, Department of Psychology  

-Phase 1 - Field Trip to Sai Kung

The phase one of the programme was carried out in November last year. 18 Sunnies took part in a field trip to Sai Kung and conducted a series of interviews with residents and businesses there, examining the cultural integration between newcomers, tourists and original inhabitants, given the rapid social and environmental change brought by the overwhelming economic development.  

-Phase 2 - Exchange Tour to Tainan

With the findings from Hong Kong, students went to Tainan in early January this year in order to manage another research in Five-harbour District. The tour was commenced with our participation in The International Conference of Culture and Creativity (ICCC) 2015 which focused on how creativity city planning could help rejuvenate historical cities with confined commercialization of cultural content. Professor Chiu Chi-yue, Professor Annisa C.H. Lee and Professor Letty Y.Y. Kwan have been invited to be guest speakers of the workshops and forums.

Field trip to Five-harbour District was led for the sake of a more in-depth understanding towards local traditions. A presentation session was held in the next day to illustrate students' work on the comparison of Sai Kung and Five-harbour District with their skills learnt in the Conference to fellow members of NCKU as well as the professionals in local cultural industries. A fabulous music show and cultural day-tour brought the trip to the finale.  

-Phase 3 - Return Visit of NCKU

With the rewarding experience of the Tainan tour, c!ab collaborated with Faculty of Social Science again and received the teachers and students from NCKU to our College in late May. The return visit aimed to enhance the revitalization projects of Sai Kung conducted by the Sunnies before and deliver it to the stakeholders of Sai Kung for further review.

The participating students paid a visit to Sai Kung with our guests and they could finally have a taste on the atmosphere there apart from the introduction we made during the Tainan Tour.  They interviews with local business owners and residents to understand more about their perception towards the development of Sai Kung recently. Tainan students were amazed by the traditions and pretty scene of Sai Kung.

With the kind assistance from Ms. Connie Y.C. Au (區月晶女士), Former Director of CUHK Alumni Office and Former Principal of Yan Chai Hospital Wong Wha San Secondary School (YCHWWSSS), a presentation session was arranged with the YCHWWSSS, a school which has also conducted comprehensive study on the history and development of Sai Kung District. We were grateful for the presence of various key stakeholders of Sai Kung including Mr. Yau Siu-hung (邱少雄先生), Principal of YCHWWSSS, Mr. Chan Kwok-kai (陳國旗先生), Former Vice-Chairperson of Sai Kung District Council and Mr. Ho Kwun-shun (何觀順先生). The sharing from the school was informative and constructive comments were received for us to further enrich our project proposal.

Followed by all working programmes, visits to Science Park and the Monet Exhibition, and the cultural tours to Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Kowloon and Central area marked the end of the half-year programme. Apart from enriching student’s knowledge and exposure, the precious friendship and unforgettable memories built have made the programme become more remarkable.