Hong Kong Public Libraries - “Social Memory: Conservation and Coexistence of Cultural Heritage” Subject Talks

Date:	2026/11/14 (Saturday)
Time:	2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Venue:	Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F.)
Description:	Every artefact bears the traces of everyday life, holding stories tied to the city and its community. What makes them so moving is not merely their past, but the wear and marks that they have preserved, markings that silently narrate the people and stories of the past. Through various case studies, the talk will explore how artefacts embody Hong Kong’s social memory, community history, and personal stories. The speaker will also introduce the principles and methods of conservation, sharing how volunteer participation transforms conservation work into an opportunity to encounter history and a way to reconnect with the past. Through these stories, we discover that conserving an artefact is a way to meticulously preserve a memory.

Date:	2026/10/10 (Saturday)
Time:	2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Venue:	Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F.)
Description:	Yau Ma Tei is home to numerous historic buildings including the Tin Hau Temple, Yau Ma Tei Theatre, Tung Wah Museum, Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market and the Red Brick Building, all of which bear witness to the daily lives of people over the past century in the realms of healthcare, entertainment, commerce and religious belief. While conservation might seem out of reach, it can truly begin with everyday participation in community activities and understanding the historic buildings within the neighbourhood. This lecture will use these buildings as a starting point, drawing on newspapers, archives and oral history to reconstruct the social landscape of the past. It will also explore the significance of heritage conservation and ways in which the public can participate, helping the public understand how conservation is closely connected to present-day life.

Date:	2026/9/5 (Saturday)
Time:	2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Venue:	Hong Kong Central Library (Lecture Theatre, G/F.)
Description:	The Mazu (Tin Hau / Goddess of the Sea) belief and customs represent a traditional folk religion dedicated to venerating Mazu's virtue, benevolence, compassion, as well as her salvation of those in peril at sea. These values are manifested through birthday celebrations of the deity and temple fairs. Tin Hau Temples, as the sites for these practices, serve not only as an embodiment of local history but also as landmarks witnessing Hong Kong's drastic urban landscape transformations. Today, the annual Tin Hau Festival continues to play a significant role in uniting the community. This talk will use Tin Hau Temples in Yau Ma Tei and Ping Yuen, Ta Kwu Ling as examples to demonstrate how temples and deity festivals function as vital historical and cultural resources that carry the collective memory and cultural identity of the community.

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