The newly launched Asia+ Festival of Leisure and Cultural Services Department held a program demonstrating the Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances last Sunday,12 November, at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza and Foyer. Highlights of the program showcased the arts and cultures of different parts of Asia through a variety of folk dances, musical instrument performances, a fashion show, and a martial arts performance. The organizer said that the program received an enthusiastic response and attracted more than 30,000 participants.
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, addressed the Asia+ Festival ceremony in a pre-recorded speech, pointing out that Hong Kong was a city deeply rooted in Chinese culture, it had long been a place known for its dynamic fusion of cultures of Asia and other parts of the world.
Under the auspices of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government was expediting the advancement of Hong Kong’s cultural scene, comprehensively developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange, and connecting itself with other parts of Asia and the world by leveraging its own advantages.
Officiating guests of the ceremony included officials from different government departments; and representatives from the Consulates General in Hong Kong of the participating countries of the Asia+ Festival.
In addition to the traditional ethnic stage performances, the Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances also features an exhibition entitled “Charm of Hues – National Costume and Headdress Exhibition” from today until November 19 at the Foyer of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre to showcase beautiful costumes and decorations that people wear during festive events and art performances. The exhibits include dance costumes of the Indian Bhangra dance, Nepal’s Gurung tribe Ghatu dance, and Japan’s Tokushima traditional dance; a northern Vietnam’s traditional hat Nón Quai Thao for New Year celebrations, a Cambodian Apsara crown; as well as the traditional costumes thobe and abaya worn by men and women of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and more.
Twenty-three countries and regions participated in this year’s event, namely Hong Kong, China; Macao, China; Bangladesh; Cambodia; India; Indonesia; Japan; Kazakhstan; Korea; Kuwait; Laos; Malaysia; Nepal; Mongolia; Pakistan; the Philippines; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Türkiye; the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
An online program recapturing the event highlights today will be broadcast on November 26 at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Community Programmes Office (CPO) website (www.cpo.gov.hk/activity/en-aecp-2023-carnival/).
