What shall we eat for dinner? This deceptively simple question has indeed perplexed modern consumers in the developed world, in the midst of a cornucopia of food choices, further complicated by a dizzying array of food advices from nutrition and health “experts” as well as justifiable warnings that what we eat now may be contributing to social exploitation, environmental pollution and climate change. How shall we, then, eat with optimal health benefit, enjoyment and conscience? Michael Pollan’s answer to such a profound question is just seven simple words: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” This is indeed as old-fashioned (in a sense that our ancestors have been eating like this for millennia) as it is revolutionary against the backdrop of our highly industrialized food systems. In this talk, we will discuss all these, and explore how Hong Kong people may rethink the opening question for the sake of personal health, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

Since the 1930s, the Modern Movement of architecture, which emphasizes the functionality, economic benefits, and production methods of buildings, has widely influenced architectural design in Hong Kong. The city’s public buildings, such as markets, schools, and town halls, best embody the spirit of architectural modernism. Their plain and efficient design meets the social and economic needs of the modern era. They are everyday architecture that is closely tied to people’s daily life. Because they can be found in every district, public buildings are easily mistaken as unimportant or ordinary. In this talk, the speaker will examine the ways Hong Kong’s everyday architecture adapts to the challenges of modern society.

Every known human society has language and music, even when other cultural traits are absent.  The impact of language and music on child development cannot be overstated.  Language improves behavioral adaptation, advances cognitive development, and enables academic learning.  Music enhances parent-child bonding, regulates emotions, and facilitates identity formation.  Besides their pivotal roles in our culture and in child development, the fact that language and music both rely on complex sound sequences naturally invites interdisciplinary studies that investigate how they relate to each other and to our biology and culture.  In this GE Salon, Wong will discuss the importance of everyday language and music stimulation on the developing brain and offer strategies to promote language and music in the child’s daily life that can be implemented in the new normal.

短片1. 《全記渡》 渡輪是南丫島居民日常往返市區唯一的交通工具,船艙則是他們重要的生活場所,無數的交流就在每天的航程中發生。紀錄片導演馬智恆以觀察式紀錄渡輪上街坊乘客的日常,窺探南丫南豐富多元的社區面貌及獨有人情味。半小時的航程,風景會出現幾度變化,由人口密集的海港,貨輪來回的航道,到小島鄉村風情。流動的場景,是背景也是風景。短短的航程,成了調適生活節奏的時空。 短片2. 《風調雨順》 香港有逾百座天后廟,單是南丫島這小島上,也座落了三座,分別位於索罟灣、鹿洲及榕樹灣。為什麼民眾會供奉天后?民眾與天后廟的關係又如何隨著時代改變?昔日香港以漁村起家,依賴拜天祭地以求神靈保佑,電影導演卓翔曾於其作品《戲棚》(2019)紀錄不同社區娛神娛人的酬神活動,他抱持著對天后廟的好奇,在是次計劃繼續以觀察式鏡頭去紀錄島上及市區天后廟的現況,透過凝視水上人、島民及市區民眾日常於廟內之行為,嘗試在當中尋找一個脈絡。

無數口罩蒙著咀、阻隔呼吸之間的距離；打針、中招、挖鼻; PCR…RAT…一大堆令生活、生存産生劇變的東西；使心神、情緒飄蕩的元素。 多謝音樂一直陪伴左右，令日子可以好過一些。 每個人都有不同的選擇，流行曲、古典樂、爵士樂、電影配樂，都可以帶我們飛到無限想像的空間和境界。 志淙除了在叱咤903 當DJ ，藉著Chi Chung’s Choice於音樂天空馳騁多年，也在港大通識策展了很多跨領域的活動。疫情之下人人都在學習新知識和技能，頌缽、喉唱、黑膠唱片都是他近年大力推動和分享的文化，也是面對世情逆轉的一些生活再思，回到根源和基本，原來可以找到意想不到的平靜和力量。

在內容滿瀉的即時通訊年代，作為一個「有幾分知識」的人該如何好好建構及傳意想法？獵巫、取消、捧殺是「文化」嗎？如何建立、瓦解、引導、重整、甚至摒棄「文化」？作為一個自認為生物分類上比較接近雌性的女歌手，Serrini如何繼續自稱「一條囡」而 1. 繼續溝通學術洪流裡超越二元對立的萬種認同、2. 在流行音樂遊樂場裡面繼續享受？世界對你有很多要求，Serrini如何由一個少不更事的大學生演化成一個慢慢成熟的快樂女人？這個講座也許不會解決你人生疑難，但是你能看看Serrini曾經如何面對挫折而奮勇前行。