Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2023
The Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) is one of Asia’s most respected cultural events, featuring renowned authors from around the world, as well as local writers and literary leaders.
The not-for-profit charitable organisation aims to advance education and the diffusion of knowledge through literature and generates enthusiasm for reading and creative writing. The festival was founded in 2001 to celebrate reading and literature in the community, and it is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most notable literary gatherings.
Amara Communications was proud to be appointed the official public relations partner for the festival in 2023. After three years of disruptions due to covid-19 restrictions, we set out to revive the festival to its former glory and celebrate the exceptional talent in attendance. Headlining the festival were international heavyweights such as Shehan Karunatilaka (Booker Prize winner: 2022’s The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida), travel writer Pico Iyer and Canadian National Book Award Finalist Emily St John Mandel, including a host of local personalities like Susan Jung (Kung Pao and Beyond) and Matt Abergel of Yardbird Fame. We secured over 20 interviews for attending writers with reputable Chinese and English media, including Tatler, SCMP, HKEJ, HK01 and more, resulting in over 420 pieces of press (print and online) with a media impression of 127 million. As a result, festival attendance increased by 30% compared to 2021.