Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) has been a strong advocate for reading for almost two decades. In line with the government’s announcement designating 23 April as the Hong Kong Reading for All Day, SHKP is delighted to provide the venue to host the 2024 Hong Kong Reading+ carnival. This four-day event, organized by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation and sponsored by Create Hong Kong, will take place at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin from 20 to 23 April.

SHKP Executive Director Christopher Kwok said: “President Xi Jinping has expressed his wish for all people to actively engage in reading and contribute to a culture where reading is cherished, quality books are available, and everyone benefits from reading. SHKP has been promoting reading since 2005 and is honoured to provide a bustling venue for the 2024 Hong Kong Reading+ carnival. The event includes an exhibition, seminars, workshops, and performances, all designed to foster a love for reading among the younger generation and broaden their horizons.”

The theme of the carnival is “n reasons for reading”. Apart from the exhibition, it also will feature a book fair, an electronic reading experience zone, nearly 20 seminars by renowned writers and music performances. Various parent-child activities, including storytelling sessions, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) workshops, and DIY picture book making classes, will also be organized. A highlight of the carnival will be a talk and a meet-and-greet session by Hideko Yamashita, acclaimed Japanese writer of the global bestseller “DanShaRi”, who will be introducing her new book. 
 
In addition to supporting the carnival, New Town Plaza will launch a series of online and offline activities to promote reading. One such activity is a contest where participants have the chance to win a HK$200 SHKP Malls Gift Card by sharing their favourite book title under the event post on the SHKP Reading Club Facebook page between 20 and 28 April.

Over the years, SHKP has collaborated with the government and community groups to organize a number of reading promotion campaigns at its shopping malls. An example of this collaboration is the book exhibition held at apm shopping mall in Kwun Tong last year. This exhibition was conducted in support of the government’s initiative to promote the night-time economy while encouraging everyone to read. During this event, apm shopping mall extended its operating hours until 11 pm, providing an opportunity for book enthusiasts, especially “night owls”, to immerse themselves in the joy of reading.

SHKP has been a stalwart supporter of reading initiatives. Since the launch of the Read to Dream programme in 2008, SHKP has been providing book allowances to over a thousand students annually to buy their favourite books at the Hong Kong Book Fair. This effort has benefitted more than 30,000 students so far. In 2013, SHKP introduced the SHKP Reading Club, which has organized talks and workshops on reading at nearly 400 schools. In 2019, SHKP launched the Read For More online reading platform which uses engaging multimedia content on popular culture, travel, and food to promote reading among individuals. SHKP has also been putting more emphasis on STEM education across its reading promotion initiatives since 2021, when the National 14th Five-Year Plan indicated clear support for Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub, encouraging primary and secondary school students to apply STEM knowledge in their daily lives.