Minister of Culture & Tourism Hu Heping today presented commemorative plaques to protection organisations of two national intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items in Hong Kong, namely the Tin Hau Festival and the cheongsam making technique.

The two items were inscribed onto the fifth batch of the list of the representative items of national ICH announced by the State Council in 2021.

At a ceremony held at the Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum today, Mr Hu presented the plaques to representatives from the Hong Kong Tin Hau Festival Association and the Hong Kong Cheongsam Association.

Acting Chief Executive Chan Kwok-ki and Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Raistlin Lau also attended the ceremony.

The Leisure & Cultural Services Department explained that these two items are under the "social practices, rituals and festive events" and "traditional craftsmanship" categories defined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH.

With outstanding historical and cultural value, they are representative of their kind. Both items were also inscribed onto the First ICH Inventory of Hong Kong and the Representative List of the ICH of Hong Kong in 2014 and 2017 respectively, the department noted.

To further promote the safeguarding of ICH, the Government approved funding of $300 million in 2018 to launch the ICH Funding Scheme, which covers funded activities to preserve and promote the two items in Hong Kong.

The Government will continue its commitment to preserving and promoting local ICH as well as encourage community participation to support the transmission and development of Hong Kong's traditional culture, the department added.