The Hong Kong Experience
This project aims to contribute to making ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ an inclusive and child-friendly society to visit, live and work.
Duration: 1 June 2024 - February 2025
Funder:
AHRC IAA
Partners:
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Central Library
Visit ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½shire
ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ City Council – Child-friendly team
Key people:
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
This research relates to the following SDGs
Research summary
Making cities inclusive for families of all backgrounds is a UN Sustainable Development Goal. In England, public libraries serve as community hubs, actively engage with diverse communities to achieve this goal. As tourism lies in the heart of Communities, this interdisciplinary project collaborates with ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Central Library, Visit ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½shire and ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ City Council to support ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ in becoming a UNICEF Child-Friendly and inclusive society.
Focusing on the growing population of HK immigrants and their family trips in the UK, this project documents the collective memories of this underrepresented community to develop publicly available collections and enhance the city’s destination management plan. It empowers immigrant families to engage with cultural institutions and foster intercultural understanding amongst our partners and across ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½. Through this, the current project contributes to making ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ an inclusive and child-friendly society to visit, live and work.
Research findings
Collaborating with ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Central Library (NCL), Visit ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½shire (VN) and ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ City Council (NCC), the project aims to support ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ in becoming a UNICEF Child-friendly and inclusive society with the following objectives:
- Diversifying NCL’s local oral history collections by exploring collective memories of newly arrived HK immigrant families with children. In total, we interviewed 29 families. Adults stories captured in a documentary in the library
- Empowering immigrant families, especially school age children by involving them in the co-creation of project activities and contributing to the city’s strategic planning. We organised 3 workshops for Hong Kong children and locally born children. We hosted an exhibition, consisting of 40 artworks in the library. The exhibition showcases children’s immigration and travel experience. We also host a celebration event to celebrate diversity and inclusivity for families
- Raising intercultural awareness and understanding within communities through project activities and the HK experience collections, making ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ an inclusive society to visit, live and work. Through interact with hundreds of individuals in various project activities, we shared stories of new immigrants families to wider audiences
Further information
For more information please visit the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ City Libraries Hong Kong Experience web page.