A briefing on setting up the Water Community Mobile Living Museum cum book talk on Memoryscape: Aberdeen Fishermen Oral Histories was organized by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) today (October 19, 2015).  Aberdeen has the richest history among all locations in the Southern District.  The history of fisheries and fishing communities in Aberdeen are invaluable cultural treasures.  We Are With You (WAY) Project implemented by HKU since 2013 has been committed to preserving and promoting these rich history and culture through oral history project, cultural tours and exhibition activities.

In the briefing, the WAY Project team shared its achievements in promoting history of local fisheries and the water communities with Southern District Office, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, fishermen and community partners.  HKU also announced to set up the first Water Community Mobile Living Museum from  March 25 to 29, 2016 at Stanley Community Hall, and to promote the concept and related activities to secondary schools, so as to enhance public understanding of the history of local fisheries and the water communities in the Southern District.  Ms Leonie Ki, Director of Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation (CTFCF), and Mr Douglas So, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) of HKU were the officiating guests.

In the briefing, Mr Douglas So said that the long history of fisheries development in Aberdeen was an important part of Hong Kong history.  The WAY Project’s initiatives to preserve and promote Aberdeen fishermen’s history and culture reaffirmed HKU’s contribution in preserving cultural heritage and promoting knowledge exchange.  He also expressed sincere gratitude to the CTFCF for their donation for the WAY Project.

Ms Leonie Ki stated that CTFCF’s focus of philanthropic work is in the area of education to help improve the quality of life of the underprivileged and strive for a better community development. It shared the same vision with the initiatives of the WAY Project. Ms. Ki was impressed by the guided tour organized by HKU and the Aberdeen fishermen associations in 2014. With the participation of the HKU students, she believed that the project could bring Hong Kong people the collective memories of the indigenous heritage of the fishing industry and let the younger generation pass it on. Ms. Ki expressed gratitude to HKU’s The WAY Project research team for their staunch efforts and wished of “Mobile Living Museum” a great success for the future.

The book talk on Memoryscape: Aberdeen Fishermen Oral Histories was scheduled after the briefing.  The fishermen’s stories in the book were collected through oral history interviews conducted by the WAY Project.  In the book talk moderated by Dr. Wong Wai-ling, author of the book, and Research Officer of the WAY Project, fishermen shared their memories of Aberdeen, a fishing port leading to the seas where the fishermen find their livings, experience complex emotions and develop their identities.

For details of the book, please visit: http://www.jointpublishing.com/publishing/catalogue/publisher/joint-publishing/9789620438219.aspx (information in Chinese).

About the WAY Project
In 2012, the Chow Tai Fook Charity Foundation donated $10M to the University of Hong Kong to implement the WAY Project, which was launched in the academic year of 2013-14.  The WAY Project is a four-year community-based social capital development project in the Southern District.  Its objective is to build a district-based community network to empower the community to accumulate social capital and improve social mobility.  The project emphasizes on the mobilization and exchange of resources among different social groups in the Southern District to achieve mutual benefit.  HKU students and staff will contribute to improve the condition of the less privileged and empower them to improve their own conditions in the long run.  The ultimate goal is to develop a replicable model for social capital development, particularly with the involvement of staff and students of tertiary institutions.  For more details, please visit http://wp.cedars.hku.hk/web/way/2013/10/07/the-way-project/.