Youth Square Open Day
Youths Gathered to Demonstrate Vitality
Youth Square, a territory-wide project in Chai Wan under Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, organized an Open Day today. A variety of performance, activities and exhibitions were open for public for free, attracted a crowd of youngsters and the public joining the carnival. A voting for the mascot of Youth Square was held, youngsters and the public could vote for the mascot which best represents Youth Square. Guided tours were arranged for the public to tour around every corner of Youth Square.
A cocktail was held to celebrate the open day, with representatives from different communities joining, including youth groups, performing groups, etc. The cocktail was kicked off by a speech by Ms Florence Hui, JP, Under Secretary for Home Affairs. The guests then joined the guided tour and visited various facilities of Youth Square.
"Creative October" Kaleidoscope - Animation Screening and History of Hong Kong Comic Exhibition attracted a number of youngsters who are fond of animation and comics. The animation screening showcased the cream of the creative force and widened the audience's horizons. The screening included award-winning works at the Ars Electronica, in which their perfect landscapes and characterizations have demonstrated technology prowess and showcased the future of computer animation. The History of Hong Kong Comic Exhibition presented the history of local comics from the 60s to the contemporary scene to reveal the interrelationships between the local comic creations and the historical and cultural development of Hong Kong. At the comic workshop, with the guidance from the comic writer invited by Youth Square, participants could have a taste of being a comic writer by drawing portraits and creating a comic piece on their own.
Local youngsters have considered Hong Kong athletes as their idols as inspired by the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the forthcoming Hong Kong 2009 East Asian Games. The "Passion and Calm of HK Athletes" Photo Exhibition at Youth Square exhibits the photos of the Hong Kong athletes to demonstrate the power of youth. Famous athletes Daniel Lee, Sherry Tsai and So Wah-Wai shared at the scene their life as a sportsman, and promoted the "keep-on-going" spirit among the youngsters.
Youngsters who adore vitality chose to participate in the "Unlock Dancing Plaza Outdoor Dancing Performance", or the "Four Gig Heads Percussion Group Performance and Workshop". The former is from a promising modern dance organization with a unique style. By liberating the constraints of the stage, they strive to discover new ways to appreciate and experience dance, and emphasize the openness of space and communication between performers and audience. The latter is formed by local percussionists Angus Fu Ye-Chung, Chau Chin-Tung, Ho Yi-On and Luk Kin-Bun, with a mission to promote percussion music of both East and West genres and create a unique culture for Hong Kong. They have a versatile repertoire encompassing an impressive array of styles, including Peking opera percussion music, gong-and-drum music of eastern Zhejiang, the daliuzi of the Tujia ethnic minority of western Hunan, American country music, Brazilian samba, as well as works by leading contemporary composers.
All these performances and activities demonstrated the energetic image of Youth Square to the public. Some activities and exhibitions will continue to be open to public for free after the open day:
"Creative October" Kaleidoscope - History of Hong Kong Comic Exhibition
Date: 8 October to 27 October 2009
Time: 11:00am - 6:00pm
Venue: Y-Studio
Content: The exhibition presents the history of local comics from the 60s to the contemporary scene to reveal the interrelationships between local comic creations and the historical and cultural development of Hong Kong, and pays tribute to local masterpieces
"Passion and Calm of HK Athletes" Photo Exhibition
Date: 18 October to 26 October 2009
Time: 11:00am - 6:00pm
Venue: Y-Platform
Content: Photo exhibition of Hong Kong athletes to demonstrate the power of youth
Public Voting for Youth Square Mascot
Date: 18 October to 17 November 2009
Time: 11:00am - 6:00pm
Venue: Y-Platform
Content: Three units of Youth Square mascots are available for voting by youngsters and the public
About Youth Square
Youth Square, located at Chai Wan, is a territory-wide project under Home Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and is managed and operated by New World Facilities Management Company Limited. Its objective is to serve as a focal point for territory-wide youth development activities and provide venue and facilities for these activities and training. Youth Square comprises two blocks, the Main Block and Hostel Block. The Main Block consists of "Y-Theater", "Y-Studio", "Multi-purpose Area", "Retail Shops" and "Offices", etc. Hostel Block consists of 150 hostels rooms, catering for the accommodation of exchange students. With innovative design and comprehensive facilities, Youth Square provides a platform for youths to develop their potential and get ready to be the future leaders of the society.