During the panel discussion "Rethinking Museum Interpretation in a Global Context", (from left) Louis Ng Chi-wa, director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum; Wang Chunfa, director of the National Museum of China; Yannick Lintz, president of the Guimet-National Museum of Asian Arts in France; and Miguel Falomir, director of Museo Nacional Del Prado in Spain, share their insights with attendees of the Hong Kong International Cultural Summit at the Hong Kong Palace Museum on Tuesday. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

The successful conclusion of the inaugural Hong Kong International Cultural Summit has reinforced Hong Kong’s prowess as a global cultural hub, according to leading figures in the cultural sector. 

The three-day summit, the largest cultural gathering ever held in Hong Kong, garnered more than 420,000 online views worldwide, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, the event’s organizer, announced. 

We took hundreds of photos, not only of artworks, but of the technology we saw in some exhibitions. 

Yannick Lintz, President of the Guimet-National Museum of Asian Arts in France

Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee, CEO of the WKCD Authority, said that France’s Palace of Versailles and the Hong Kong Palace Museum will collaborate on a joint exhibition in December to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France. 

The exhibition will focus on the cultural and artistic exchanges between the two nations in the 18th century. The exhibition is one of many cultural collaboration projects that were formalized in the 21 memorandums of understanding signed during the summit. 

In a media briefing, Fung expressed her delight over the summit’s role in enhancing cross-cultural exchange and its success as a platform for international museum conversations and collaborations, including partnerships with Hong Kong-based institutions. 

The Authority is exploring opportunities to host the summit again, Fung added. Yannick Lintz, president of the Guimet-National Museum of Asian Arts in France, commended the high level of professionalism in Hong Kong’s museums, and praised the integration of technology, music and storytelling in the city’s exhibitions. “We took hundreds of photos, not only of artworks, but of the technology we saw in some exhibitions,” Lintz said.

Lintz, who spoke at a panel discussion on museum interpretation in a global context on Tuesday, said she plans to incorporate the innovative technologies observed in Hong Kong’s museums into her own institution’s future exhibits to enhance visitor engagement. 

The summit featured around 40 notable speakers and cooperative partners from leading museums and cultural institutions worldwide. 

They gathered for a plenary discussion and four panel discussions, covering some of the most relevant topics, such as the museums’ application of nonfungible tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchains, and Web3, as well as strategies for attracting younger audiences to traditional culture. 

A total of 6,000 people participated in the summit and its related activities. 

Contact the writers at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com