The SHKP Reading Club is staging its third biennial A Letter to My Family book review competition in the Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited spirit of Building Homes with Heart.  The competition is meant to promote closer relationships by encouraging people, especially the young, to share their thoughts on reading in the form of letters to family.  The competition was announced today (24 March) at a kick off event with SHKP Deputy Managing Director Victor Lui, judges including veteran journalist Man Cheuk-fei and representatives of supporting organizations in attendance.

Victor Lui said: “SHKP believes that reading provides knowledge and cultivates the mind, and we hope books can be a bridge between people as readers write book reviews in the form of letters to family to express themselves. If young people share their ideas from books and personal feelings with parents, teachers and friends, adults can understand more about how the younger generation views society and life.  This kind of interactive reading and writing can foster genuine communication between the generations.”

Emceeing the ceremony, Ong Yi Hing, past winner of Hong Kong Biennial Award for Chinese Literature (fiction), spoke of how people communicate nowadays and the corresponding challenges with guests including Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council Chairman James Lam and The Hong Kong Association of Senior Citizens Third Age Centre Director Lui Ling-yee.  The guests suggested that though modern information technology has made connections easier, we are more likely to be moved by letters as they help people express their inner feelings and people appreciate receiving them.

Entries to the 2016 ‘A Letter to My Family’ SHKP Book Review Competition are being accepted until 31 May.  Entrants can choose any book they wish, including one of the 20 recommended by the organizers, and submit a review in the form of a letter to family. There are Junior (aged between six and 12), Intermediate (between 13 and 18) and Open (19 or above) categories with English and Chinese divisions, each open for gold, silver and bronze prizes and five merit awards.  There is also a special Love from Far Away award to encourage people to write to family or friends they have been separated from for three months or more.  Most Active Involvement trophies will be given to one primary and one secondary school with the most entries.

Visit the competition website

(http://life.mingpao.com/bookreview2016.htm)

or Facebook page

(www.facebook.com/shkpbookreviewcompetition) for details.

About the SHKP Reading Club

Sun Hung Kai Properties set up the SHKP Reading Club in late 2013 to consolidate its reading-related initiatives, and everyone is welcome to join for free.  The Club publishes the regular free ReadIt and Read Monthly magazines and organizes cultural events like seminars with leading speakers and guided cultural tours to inspire more people to enjoy reading and make it a habit. Anyone interested can join at www.shkpreadingclub.com.