Xiqu Centre Names Seminar Hall in Honour of Friends of Hong Kong Association’s Generous Donation

WKCDA recognises the Association’s contribution and continued support in the promotion of Chinese opera

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) today announced that the Seminar Hall at the Xiqu Centre will be named as the “FHKA Seminar Hall”. The name has been given in recognition of the generous donation made by the Friends of Hong Kong Association (FHKA) to support the promotion of Chinese opera and ensure this traditional artform can continue to develop and thrive.

A naming ceremony took place at the FHKA Seminar Hall today, officiated by Henry Tang Ying-yen, Life Honorary President of FHKA; Tam Kam-kau, President of FHKA; Jonathan Choi Koon-shum, Vice President of FHKA; Irons Sze, Vice President and Secretary of FHKA; Lee Vincent Marshall Kwan Ho, Deputy Secretary of FHKA; Wingco Lo, Deputy Secretary of FHKA; Lu Fu, Chief Executive Officer of FHKA; Bernard Chan, Vice Chairman of the WKCDA Board; Henry Fan, Chairman of the WKCD Foundation Limited; Jat Sew-tong, Chairman of the Performing Arts Committee, WKCDA; Dr Frankie Yeung, Chairman of the Xiqu Centre Advisory Panel, WKCDA; Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of WKCDA; Paul Tam, Executive Director, Performing Arts, WKCDA and Naomi Chung, Head of Xiqu, Performing Arts, WKCDA.

Since its opening in 2019, the Xiqu Centre has received unwavering support from the FHKA, including title sponsorships for a number of its productions such as the latest regular programme, Magic Tea House 2.0 – Dreams of the Future, and last year’s Friends of Hong Kong Association Presents: Black Box Chinese Opera Festival 2022. The FHKA also supported three of the Xiqu Centre’s productions, namely Wenguang Explores the Valley, “The Imperial Decree (Preview) and Farewell My Concubine (New Adaptation), for their outreach performance in Beijing, facilitating the cultural exchange and showcase of Hong Kong’s unique Cantonese opera arts and culture abroad. The FHKA’s generous donation will help the Xiqu Centre create more unique and experimental works and explore new directions for the development of Chinese opera through innovative works and practices. The funding will also assist the Centre in inviting award-winning troupes from Hong Kong, Mainland China and other regions to stage classical pieces, rare regional productions and contemporary experimental works at the Xiqu Centre, as well as to provide a high-quality and well-equipped platform to help groom a new generation of young Chinese opera talents. In addition, the funds will be used to organise an array of Chinese opera festivals and cultural exchange activities to ensure the continued expansion of Chinese opera’s audience base and the inheritance of this classical artform.

Henry Tang Ying-yen, Life Honorary President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association, said, “The Friends of Hong Kong Association fully recognises the mission of the Xiqu Centre to promote the culture and tradition of Chinese opera. We look forward to a deeper collaboration between the FHKA and the Xiqu Centre in the future to support the WKCDA’s work in preserving Chinese opera and promoting its continued development. We will work closely with the Centre to promote local Cantonese Opera and other genres in Hong Kong, Mainland China and beyond, so as to facilitate Hong Kong’s development into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange as envisioned in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.”

TAM Kam-kau, President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association, said, “The Friends of Hong Kong Association has always been dedicated to promoting arts and culture, and this has been reflected in our previous sponsorship of various projects in West Kowloon Cultural District. We are pleased to make a further donation to support the District to develop into a new hub for arts and culture in Hong Kong, and to play its bridging role as a two-way gateway. Internally, we hope to further elevate the overall standard of arts and culture in Hong Kong and enhance our people's national identity and cultural confidence; externally, we aspire to further expand the influence of Chinese culture in the international arena, demonstrating to the world our country's achievements in cultural infrastructure, and enhancing the country’s soft power.”

Bernard Chan, Vice Chairman of WKCDA Board, said, “The Xiqu Centre is at its core dedicated to the preservation, promotion and development of Chinese opera through an innovative approach. We encourage local artists to create and exchange new ideas, building a new platform for developing contemporary Chinese opera in an effort to ensure the inheritance of this unique and vital traditional artform. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Friends of Hong Kong Association for its generous donation and long-term support for our work in promoting Chinese opera. We look forward to continued and closer collaborations with the FHKA to further strengthen Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange."

Remarks

About The Xiqu Centre
The Xiqu Centre at the West Kowloon Cultural District is the first landmark performing arts venue. It acts as the eastern gateway to the district. Specifically built for performances of Chinese traditional theatre, it will also provide a centre for the production, education and research of this unique art form. The Xiqu Centre was named one of the "100 Greatest Places in the World" by Time magazine in 2019.

About the West Kowloon Cultural District
The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on 40 hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances, and cultural events, providing 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.
https://www.westkowloon.hk/

About the Friends of Hong Kong Association
The Friends of Hong Kong Association was founded in 1989 by nine Hong Kong members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Its mission is to unite the patriotic community in Hong Kong with a commitment to “one country, two systems” and the full implementation of the Basic Law, as well as contributing to the country’s successful resumption of sovereign rule over Hong Kong; participate in the decision-making process and consultation of Hong Kong affairs; promote exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and HKSAR; support the country’s reform and development; support the HKSAR government in its governance, and maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

The Association comprises predominantly Hong Kong members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, Hong Kong deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC). Its members also include social and business leaders, political veterans, professional elites and young talents.

Since its establishment 34 years ago, the Association has become an important social organization that brings together HKSAR members of CPPCC National Committee, Hong Kong deputies to the NPC, members of the Executive Council of COFA and other patriotic figures of Hong Kong society, thanks to the caring and support by the NPC and CPPCC, the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the HKSAR government and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR. It has been developed into a multi-functional “review platform”, “activity platform” and “work platform”, playing a role of significant influence and guidance in the Hong Kong society.
https://fhka.com.hk/