OUR VISION
The Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) inspires the joy of reading by bringing the world’s writers and stories to Hong Kong’s diverse communities.
A dynamic year-round programme and an annual festival offer dialogue, entertainment and perspective, while the Young Readers Festival in the spring motivates young people to engage with all aspects of the written word, improving English language skills and nurturing an informed global outlook.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The annual festival features established and emerging writers from around the world in a programme that includes panel discussions, book talks, literary lunches and dinners, readings, workshops, and performance. HKILF continues to inspire and illuminate Hong Kong readers with innovative programming.
The festival is an acknowledged landmark in the city’s cultural landscape and has brought a distinguished roster of guests to Hong Kong. Past speakers include Margaret Atwood, Seamus Heaney, Amy Tan, Amitav Ghosh, Kevin Kwan, Jhumpa Lahiri, Amor Towles, Damon Galgut, Kai-fu Lee, Adam Grant, Cheryl Strayed, David Sedaris, Junot Diaz, Pico Iyer, Ken Hom, Carol Ann Duffy, Kiran Desai, Ian Rankin, Yann Martel, Hanya Yanagahira and Dinaw Mengestu, among many others.
HKILF is a not-for-profit charitable organisation registered in Hong Kong that advances education and the diffusion of knowledge through literature, and generates enthusiasm for reading and creative writing. HKILF is a well-established and much-loved institution, which has impacted tens of thousands of young people and adults in the last twenty-one years. HKILF was founded in 2001 to celebrate reading and literature in the community and is widely acknowledged as one of Asia and the world’s most notable literary gatherings. Our years of literary programming with schools and prominent venues have helped develop Hong Kong’s position as an international and regionally leading centre for the literary arts.