The Hong Kong Palace Museum has launched a leadership program bringing together students from Beijing and Hong Kong to foster engagement and nurture talent in cultural and creative sectors, viewed as critical drivers for Hong Kong's economy and job creation.
A group of 16 students, eight from Hong Kong and eight from Beijing, have been handpicked for the Bi-city Youth Cultural Leadership Program.
This is the third edition of the program but it is the first one since the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The program was entirely virtual for the first two years but now, for the first time, the program facilitates direct interactions with external visitors.
One of the tasks for program participants is to prepare activities for primary school students who'll be coming for a stay-over at the museum.
Patrick Lin is originally from the coastal city of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province, but he studies here at the University of Hong Kong. At the event, he tried to design a game that involves kicking a ball through a narrow target.
"It's a little bit difficult. We are trying to figure out the way that kids can play it more easily, but I still think it will be fun," said Lin.
In addition to attending master classes and touring different cultural institutions, participants are also doing internships with local companies to gain practical work experience.
Among them is Boy Kin, a student from Beijing, who recently completed a few weeks of his internship with Swire Properties, a sponsor of the program.
"Our work is to design an art walk, which means guide the audience through these art pieces and try to let them discover and recognize the beauty of these art pieces," Kin said.
After spending several weeks in Hong Kong, the students will travel to Chengdu in southwestern Sichuan Province and Beijing, where they will further their educational experience in different cities.
Hong Kong has a 10-year plan to develop its arts and cultural facilities and to foster the next generation of cultural entrepreneurs.
The participants at the program are well poised to take advantage of career opportunities in the cultural and creative industries.
According to Hong Kong's census and statistics department, demand for manpower in the creative and cultural sector is expected to grow by as many as 2,000 individuals per year till 2027, including opportunities in everything from curating to commercializing initiatives.
"To nurture them to become future leaders, we need to provide them with different opportunities to actually not just learn from textbook or from lectures, but actually a practical experience. They have workshops. They have lectures that they actually run them, and they understand visitors' needs and then talk to visitors," said George Ma, head of the museum's Learning and Development Department.
Students from Beijing, HK join leadership program at Hong Kong Palace Museum
The lineup for the 2025 Spring Festival movie season was officially revealed on Wednesday with six highly anticipated films set to hit the big screens in China on the first day of the Spring Festival on January 29.
The six films -- Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force, Ne Zha 2, Detective Chinatown 1900, Operation Leviathan, Boonie Bears: Future Return, and The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero -- span a range of genres and feature impressive creative teams.
Since pre-sales began on Jan 19, advanced sales for the holiday line-up were the fastest ever to reach 100 million yuan (about 13.8 million U.S. dollars).
At a launch ceremony for the Spring Festival movie season, held at the China National Film Museum in Beijing, the cast of each film highlighted the unique selling points of their movie.
"The viewers will not only uncover the hidden points of plot from the first installment of Creation of the Gods, but also get a real sense of the characters and their evolving relationships through a brand new theme," said Wuershan, director of the movie Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force.
Adapted from the classic Chinese martial arts novel by Jin Yong, The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero captures the essence of Chinese chivalry with its portrayal of selfless heroism.
described it as a story with stirring heroism.
"The soul-stirring and awe-inspiring heroic spirit conveyed by the film will be touching, memorable and romantic as well," said Tsui Hark, who directed the film.
The animated film Ne Zha 2 continues the adventures of hero Ne Zha -- a beloved Chinese mythological figure -- with a focus on comedy and spectacular visual effects.
Retaining its signature style, the popular detective series Detective Chinatown 1900 promises twists and turns with big production values and glittering special effects.
As China's first film about nuclear submarines, Operation Leviathan presents a broader underwater battlefield and more complex combat scenarios, offering a unique perspective on naval warfare.
The Great Hero -- the last chapter of the "Boonie Bears" sci-fi series -- combines extreme romance and bold imagination to take viewers on a futuristic adventure.
Different discount and subsidy policies for moviegoers during the Spring Festival were also announced at the launch event with local film authorities across the country organizing special events and promotions to encourage cinema visits.
Supporting institutions, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China UnionPay, Maoyan Entertainment, and Taopiaopia, are expected to provide at least 600 million yuan (about 83 million U.S. dollars) in subsidies for moviegoers during the holiday season.
Six new films set to hit China's big screens on Chinese New Year's Day