This session of Tai Kwun Conversations accompanies the opening of a new permanent heritage exhibition at F Hall, which makes reference to the historical function of Victoria Prison as a place of detention for Vietnamese boat people and undocumented immigrants from different places. It brings together two speakers from diverse backgrounds to share personal and collective experiences of the Vietnamese refugee history.

The dialogue between a Vietnamese refugee-turned-scholar and a former Hong Kong Marine Police commander, who was involved with the rescue of the boat people, serves to update memories and bring the past to the present. Besides revealing the critical challenges and struggles encountered during the crisis, the programme offers the opportunity to reflect on history and to pass down stories of resilience and strength amid contemporary trends of global migration.

The conversation will be conducted in English with English-Cantonese simultaneous interpretation.

Speakers:

Les Bird | Former Marine Police commander and Author

Dr Carina Hoang | Author and Ambassador for Australia for UNHCR

Time: 7.00pm-8.30pm, Monday October 13th

Venue: JC Cube, Tai Kwun, entrance from Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong

Free entry. Details of how to register are here: https://www.taikwun.hk/en/programme/detail/tai-kwun-conversations-revisiting-hong-kongs-vietnamese-refugee-history-%E2%80%AF/1674

Les Bird’s book, Along the Southern Boundary, is on sale at the Bookazine Social bookshop beside the Parade Ground in Tai Kwun. Please buy it there and bring it to the talk if you’d like Les to sign it.