The Diocese of Hong Kong will once again participate in the annual Hong Kong Book Fair to be held from July 17 to July 23. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Catholic section of the fair featured booths of Catholic organisations, religious congregations and publishers forming a “Catholic Street.” There was even a small stage for talks by priests and nuns or for performances by Catholic groups, creating a lively atmosphere!
However in the past year or two, only the diocesan media organisations participated in the event. Even though the scale of the exhibition area this year is smaller than before, the most important thing is to reach out to the community and actively engage with the public to introduce God to the people.
In today’s era of rapid development of information technology, everything is in real-time. Online information floods in daily, often accompanied by sound and video clips that are just a click away. They are not just more appealing than cold text in books, but also simpler and more direct. With electronic information readily available, has the print media been replaced?
The Hong Kong Publishing Federation recently released the Hong Kong Reading Survey Report 2024, which interviewed 1,006 people seeking to understand their reading habits. The results show that the number of respondents who habitually read printed material is similar to those who read electronically [such as e-books, online newspapers, and magazines].
Surprisingly over 70 per cent of respondents under 18 read printed materials, which is about 10 per cent higher than those who read electronic media. Out of all the respondents, over 30 per cent spend $100 or more on printed books monthly. Nearly 60 per cent of respondents believe that using electronic media has increased their reading time.
In other words, when people come across a book they like, they are still willing to invest time and money in reading it.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau held the 2024 Hong Kong Reading+ carnival on April 23, with a “read together for half an hour” event at the Hong Kong Central Library and different locations managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The event aimed to encourage the entire population, especially young people, to cultivate reading habits and create a reading atmosphere. It served as a prelude to the Hong Kong Book Fair.
The diocese’s participation in the Hong Kong Book Fair is not just about sales and profit. The most important goal is to seize this opportunity to engage with the public, particularly those who do not yet know God. Such large-scale events are indeed excellent opportunities for evangelisation, allowing the Church to reach out to people and spread the gospel.
Whether through a friendly smile or a thoughtful introduction, it allows others to feel the goodwill and warmth of the Catholic Church, aiming to truly achieve the goal of “Reading Together, Praying Together, Welcoming the Jubilee Year.” SE
