To tie in with World Book Day, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department's Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL) and Radio Television Hong Kong held a ceremony to launch "Reading Beyond Boundaries on 23 April" at the Hong Kong Central Library to announce the highlight reading events this year.

From this month, the HKPL will hold a series of reading promotion activities. These include the outreach paired activity "Fun Reading at Hong Kong Public Transportation", in which readers can read thematic picture books on transportation; "Share the Joy of Reading at 18 Districts" with reading activities rich in district features; the 4.23 World Book Day Creative Competition prize presentation ceremony and exhibition of award-winning entries; and "Meet-the-Authors 2019".

In addition, the HKPL will collaborate with RTHK Radio 5 to introduce a new session in the "Stand By Me" programme from May onwards. Professionals, authors and celebrities will be invited to recommend books and share their reading experience. Old and young are encouraged to read together so that family members can share the joy of reading.

Pop-up libraries have become increasingly popular since their first appearance. The next pop-up library will appear at the "2019 World Book Day Fest: Towards a Reading City - Folktaleoscope" co-organised by the Standing Committee on Language Education & Research and the Education Bureau.

Guests attending today's ceremony included Under Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin; Director of Broadcasting Leung Ka-wing; writer Lawrence Pun and artiste Jason Chan. "Lead-reader", artiste Roger Kwok shared the joy of reading with the audience.

Speaking at the ceremony, Director of Leisure & Cultural Services Michelle Li noted the department has been making every effort to promote reading. Continuing last year's theme "Discover & Share the Joy of Reading", it will hold a series of activities covering various districts, age groups and media to encourage the public to read and to foster a reading culture.

The HKPL, Shenzhen Library, the Sun Yat-sen Library of Guangdong Province and the Macao Public Library held the "30-minute Read" event simultaneously to cultivate a reading habit. A "Storyteller of the Theatre Wonderland" then led the participants to read a story book together, bringing children into the story world. While storytelling workshops were held at 34 other public libraries today.

Details of the activities are available on the HKPL's website and its newly launched "Reading is Joyful" Facebook page and Instagram page.