Hong Kong – Speech by SCST at opening ceremony of deTour 2022 Design Festival (English only)

     ​Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, at the opening ceremony of deTour 2022 Design Festival today (November 25):


 


Stanley (Chairman of PMQ Board of Directors, Mr Stanley Chu), William (PMQ Executive Director, Mr William To), Mrs Lo (Industry Leader of PMQ Board of Directors Mrs Lo Lee Oi-lin), curators, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,


 


     Good evening. It is my pleasure to join you all this evening to open deTour, one of the largest annual design festivals in Hong Kong to connect the people with the design communities.


      


     “Design as One” is the theme of deTour this year. During the 17-day period, there will be physical exhibits, design dialogues and workshops organised to cover almost all aspects of our daily life.


      


     Some of the highlights are the international commissioned work “About Time” and two interactive installations “Paper Clocks” and “Memories// A Time to Remember, A Time to Forget”, created by Domestic Data Streamers from Barcelona in collaboration with deTour’s curators. Visitors can co-create the final version of these art tech pieces according to their own definitions of time and snapshots in life.


      


     Like other exhibitions that go hybrid in the post-pandemic era, this year’s deTour will continue to have a Virtual Festival alongside the physical one at PMQ to reach a wider audience. They may also participate in the interactive activities online, contributing to the virtual footprints and voices for the festival.


      


     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is honoured to be the lead sponsor of deTour again through our Create Hong Kong. As a concurrent event of the annual Business of Design Week (BODW), deTour easily draws 100 000 or more visitors in each edition, adding impetus to the local design extravaganza that happens from late November to early December every year.


      


     The Chief Executive promulgated in his 2022 Policy Address that we will promote platforms for arts, cultural and creative industries. deTour with its long history, wide participation and close connection with the BODW is one of the platforms that we should ride on.


          


     Without further ado, I would like to announce the opening of this year’s deTour, and thank PMQ for organising this exciting design festival again with an anticipated co-creation journey from the public. My congratulations also go to the curators and all exhibiting design units. Please enjoy the festival. Thank you.