ItalianCham Vol. 17

The

PRESIDENT ITALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG & MACAO

Dear members, affiliates and friends,

Despite the many signs of a long awaited comeback during the past 2 years, there might be a touch of sadness when attending another farewell party. For those of you who have been here for a while, this is nothing new. Hong Kong has always been a restless city, up and down steep cycles and reinventing itself every time to reach new heights.

Once again we find ourselves looking back and drawing lines as always in December.

While we had no option but to spend the first half of the year meeting on Zoom and refreshing policies and protocols, the second half unexpectedly gave us a chance to pencil in a number of events in the calendar which were very well accepted by members and the local community.

The new year will see more events and new formats, to continue creating momentum and communicate effectively with our overseas network, while increasing exchanges and opportunities. Starting off the year with a closer cooperation with our colleagues in greater China and South East Asia, the Chamber is planning to launch joint events with the participation of Confindustria and Altagamma, with a series of reports to cover specific themes and focus on regional markets.

From events planning, to marketing and HR services, webinars, advisories, translations, committees’ management and more, our Chamber has great plans to grow and diversify the activities, while growing the structure and scaling up our functions by joining forces with partners in the region.

Once again, from all of us at ICC Hong Kong and Macao, our warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas and a healthy, peaceful and productive 2023!

Sincerely, Ivano Poma

Kicking off Italia Mia 2022, “Living the Italian Way: Arte. Lifestyle. Gastronomia” was a 4-day pop-up fair held by The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao from October 20 - 23.

The commencement of “Living the Italian Way: Arte. Lifestyle. Gastronomia” started off with a cocktail opening night, with a turn out of 60 special guests also featuring Carmelo Ficcara, our Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macao and Ivano Poma, our President.

Located in the heart of Hong Kong in Central, the popup fair consisted of Arte, Lifestyle and Gastronomia, a new concept to promote and create awareness of Italian culture in the local community.

Brands part of “Living the Italian Way: Arte. Lifestyle. Gastronomia.”

Ivano Poma, President of The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao

The cultural celebration allowed visitors to explore and discover different Italian brands and companies in Hong Kong giving the most authentic taste of Italian goodness.

The stunning 3 floors at the venue ranged from gastronomy, arte and lifestyle. Brands participating in the fair included Bella Ciao, Giovanni Pina & Caffe Milani, Venchi, Rossi & Rossi, Intimissimi, Superga and many many more.

Throughout the 4 day celebration, The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macau organised a number of different workshops, one of which included mingling with our Consul General of Italy over authentic Italian coffee and pastries and more such as A Tasting of Aperitivo, A Taste of Italy - Wine Tasting Night and a Once Upon A Time Story Book Reading session in collaboration with La Bibliotecha Italiana.

Overall, the team and visitors that attended “Living the Italian Way: Arte. LIfestyle. Gastronomia” had a wonderful time and it was a great experience to create awareness and allow brands to showcase their products and merchandise.

We have many events and workshops throughout the year and if you would like to participate or find out more, stay connected with us on Instagram @italianchamhk or icc@icc.org.hk

Left to right: Ivano Poma - President of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Macao, Carmelo Ficarra - Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, Caterina Bernardini de Pace - General Manager of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and

Macao, Gioia Morena Gatti - Trade Commissioner of the Italian Trade Commission - Hong Kong Office, Antonietta Cornacchia - Deputy Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, Bruno Feltracco - President of the Dante Alighieri Society in Hong Kong

Wine Tasting at “Living the Italian Way: Arte, Lifestyle, Gastronomia”

Arte floor in the “Living the Italian Way: Arte. Lifestyle. Gastronomia” 4 day pop-up fair

Superga® is the iconic footwear brand for sports and leisure time that used the innovative rubber vulcanisation technology for the first time in 1911. Such technology was employed to create footwear for the mass market. The most popular model, 2750, has been produced since 1925: this is the first tennis shoe realised with a rubber sole.

Today Superga® shoes can be fully defined as the “people’s shoes of Italy”, due to their prestige and reputation.

Superga

Timeless, classic and elegant. Since the beginning, the brand has always kept its timeless appeal untouched, regardless of how you wear it. By holding onto that, the hundred-yearold brand manages to thrive all these years in the everchanging fashion world. Especially with the introduction of the brand’s icon—the Classic 2750, the iconic white canvas has provided countless possibilities for customization over the years, which enables dozens of artists and designers to express their creativity. This makes the Classic 2750 remain an enduring fashion favourite season after season.

Tell us about a successful project that Superga runs in Hong Kong

In celebration of the shop’s launch in Langham Place in Mongkok, Superga Spin Lab, an exclusive one-of-a-kind pop-up experience is brought to customers. It offers customers an opportunity to personalise their Superga by themselves with vibrant colours using spin art machines. This experience also echoes with what our Classic 2750 has to offer—allowing people to get creative and express themselves with the iconic white canvas, turning wearable items into pieces of art.

The challenge of constantly contemplating and practising the art of balancing comfort and style. Within its 111 years of history, we have seen the iconic trainers being worn by the likes of different celebrities and stylists.

How would you describe

in 3 words? Why?

What do you love most about your industry?

The essence of Christmas spirit: “Giving” in every sense of the word

Christmas is known as the season of giving, but also a festive season of caring and helping others in need. However, the Christmas feeling and how to approach business with a higher grade of morality in these dramatic times of COVID and wars, in our opinion should be extended all year long. It is not an easy thing to merge commerce and ethic, but working in the specific field of Italian food and beverage import and distribution (just to create a clear but substantial gap towards a simple definition of “entertainment business”), should be more than simple attention to balance sheets and income statements.

We all come from millennia of deep-rooted heritage, folklore, popular habits, customs and legends. This baggage is a saucerful of responsibilities and it is the key, which makes our products special, yet with an undisputable add-value from a mere commercial perspective. Giving back is not only a charity action; it is honouring our history, our culture and traditions. It is what we owe to our fathers for giving us the most important thing in the world: culture. Culture elevates us from the rank of all species in the world and it is very much about respect. Respect for this planet, which keeps us alive, respect for the customers, in our everyday work, and respect for our collaborators from a health, and welfare perspective.

Besides being considerate with your team and with your network, especially in this festive season, I strongly believe that bringing a message of clear direction in your work is more significant than many other marketing moves of pure façade.

I always pursue the idea that “we are what we eat”, in the deepest meaning. Strategies and choices must be adherent to a specific destination, the same direction you chose, in terms of how you run your business and how you behave with your employees. A choice made out of respect for our own human nature (made out of weaknesses, most of the time, and requiring more motivations than constrictions), but also choosing your merchandise and producers because they act likewise. There is no future for a business without consistency in its choices, and there is no space in the future of any business, if not respectful and sustainable. Sustainable from a budget perspective and sustainable from an ethical perspective. Our choices can only be made on what nature can teach us. Earth is about 4.8 billion years old and, as we know, our species occupies only a tiny fraction compared to all that is surrounding us in this time-lapse. Nevertheless, we are trying very hard to accelerate the destruction to all that we owe our existence, just because we cannot manage to do our businesses right. Not to mention that also our global political conditions are not in an optimal state.

I strongly believe that bringing a message of clear direction in your work is more significant than many other marketing moves of pure façade.

With the challenge of facing higher exploitation, the rise of development, population and global warming, this is all very unacceptable. Our one responsibility is to leave this planet in the same condition we found it for our future children and generation — not worse. We all can do a little something but everything begins with culture. If we do not take consciousness of who we are, where we come from and carry on with the way we are going, it will not be possible to make our choices right and change anything at all.

Our company strategies have always been based on sustainability: we want to work with wineries that have the same values. Organic, biodynamic approach, less use of pesticides of chemistry applied to vineyards, or to winemaking processes. Because everything begins with respect. Respect for the environment: we are expecting our beautiful landscapes and climate conditions to remain the same as long as it is possible, at least to be able to pass it on to our kids. Respect for the consumers that are drinking our wines not only for pleasure, but also because it is healthy and made with care. Respect for the employees, that are well paid, well-treated and happy to do their job. The knowledge, the direct personal relationship, without intermediaries, with each of our men or women is fundamental for us. The ultimate goal is to perform a sort of “Human Business”: to create a selection and distribution model with respect for the Man and the Environment.

Being sustainable means also understanding what we will be doing to combat the unavoidable challenges that the

future is posing to us. How can we think to evolve our way to produce or distribute, to the whole world, without using all the earth’s resources in HALF of the necessary time to be regenerated? I am honoured and happy to see the direction in which science is experimenting and developing agricultural systems to keep quality, increasing quantities and still be less impactful, those who are making pioneering trials should be the ones to sustain.

On another important note, our commitment is very much on honouring our financial obligations. This seems to be somehow forgotten, but trust me, it is not. The incredible financial exposition and pressure that COVID and related crisis, as well as the energetic one, is affecting the whole world. Being one step closer to bankruptcy has been quite a sad perspective for some time, from many producers and operators involved in the production and distribution chain, and in related services too. We have also in this case even committed to reinvesting personally into our enterprises in order to anticipate our suppliers the necessary funds in order to keep operating with no problems with their production activities.

All the thoughts shared with you here are hopefully finding a way to create an inspirational message for the Christmas festivities. Business strategies should be remembered especially in locations like these, which we should do for a living, not that we live to do. That would be the ultimate achievement for working in a dimension of care and help others in getting motivation and satisfaction in what they are doing.

Our one responsibility is to leave this planet in the same condition we found it for our future children and generation — not worse.

Paolo Ponghellini General Manager

A Merry Christmas to the whole Italian Community in Hong Kong.

Fine Dining as a Multifaceted Experience

The Aqua Restaurant Group is Hong Kong’s only restaurant group to have grown to an international culinary empire of more than 20 ground-breaking outlets in London, New York, Beijing and Dubai. Throughout the years, Aqua Restaurant Group’s fundamental philosophy has remained unchanged, to prepare exquisite food using the freshest, high quality products and to prepare it in a way where the true flavours shine.

The jolly festive season is always an important time for consumers, businesses and restaurants and for Aqua restaurant group, it is no different, however this year it is a total game changer.

COVID has of course changed the way everyone has adapted to the post-covid lifestyle, people are used to not eating out everyday, they are spending more time at home with family and friends and have even started cooking at home more. For some, dining out requires a celebratory or festive occasion, meaning that they will consider restaurants carefully depending on menus, dietary requirements and cuisine.

Sea urchin, salmon, tuna & avocado tartare with sesame

Cantina

With 6 different restaurants and cuisines to choose from in Aqua group, you are bound to find something to fit yours and your family/friends taste buds for the evening. Whether it is new dishes or cocktails, we keep innovating, creating and designing incredible menus and special festive dishes to match the season. Here at Aqua group we focus on quality, service, atmosphere and value — we believe that dining should be a multifaceted experience.

Our incredible chefs create the most phenomenal menus and dishes and propose several events to keep up the festive momentum and keep our guests entertained. This season we strive to have a good festive period, needless to say it would not be comparable to 2019.

At Aqua restaurant group, we are incredibly lucky to be located in some of the most impressive locations with stunning views and designs in Hong Kong. Having just held our Halloween party with the most success, we anticipate a very positive outcome for New Years Eve.

Aqua, Hutong, Cantina, The Chinese Library and our newest addition Vista, all have appealing and palatable food and beverages at a great price point, fantastic for work-dos, friend gatherings and gettogethers. With magnificent entertainment for our guests including DJ’s, dancers and performers and more, you do not want to miss an all round experience whilst dining this joyous season.

The Chinese Library

We wish you the happiest of holidays however you are celebrating and if you pop by one of our locations — enjoy the atmosphere, food and beverages or cocktails!

Alex Bellafronte Director of Operations

Christmas Word Search

In celebration of Christmas, we are doing something special with this issue’s Take a Coffee Break. Are you up for a Word Search game? Let’s see if you can find all 16 Christmas-related words within the time limit. Answers are at the bottom of the page. No peaking!

< 90 seconds < 120 seconds > 150 seconds

On Saturday 14th November 2022, a new edition of “Il Mercatino di IWA”, the annual Italian Charity Market, was successfully held at PMQ in Central.

To celebrate the spirit and success of the Market, we have asked the Italian Women’s Association’s secretary, a long-standing member and our major sponsor, to share their personal experience of Il Mercatino and their sense of belonging to IWA.

Il Mercatino di IWA - Italian Charity Market 2022

During this challenging time, together with a group of friends, I decided to convey our cooking passion into something meaningful and to start baking for Charity. Cooking in our small kitchens, we managed to raise money to support IWA in a time when little or nothing was allowed to be organized.

Rosalba Luongo, secretary of IWA

When my husband and I moved to Hong Kong in June 2018, our main desire was to travel as much as possible around Asia and Australia. But then in 2020 COVID-19 hit all of us! I sadly had to give up my dreams, and change my life, projects and priorities. ‘Being stuck’ in Hong Kong has, however, given me the chance to meet people and know more about IWA’s work and the amazing individuals behind it. I would have definitely missed this opportunity if I was travelling. I strongly believe it is important to always see ‘the good side’ in whatever happens in your life to overcome the difficult moments!

I joined IWA’s board in May 2022, where I hold the office of secretary. This has given me the opportunity to be even more involved in the process of setting up the annual charity fair. In particular, alongside my colleague Barbara Maiorano, I have followed all the bureaucratic processes. It seems so simple from the outside but rest assured that there is a lot of work behind IL MERCATINO. Months are spent simply filling in forms to gain approval from the different departments, calling people to check the status of applications and communicating with PMQs designated person to make sure that everything is done accordingly and on time. It takes strength and commitment to overcome the many moments of stress and frustration. What gives you the power to not give up is keeping in mind the main aim of your work: bring some sunshine into other people’s lives. Now more than ever, so much help is needed in the community. Measures implemented to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent deaths have affected people’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and wellness, as well as increased the number of people struggling financially. Sometimes it takes as little as a smile, or a friendly word from someone to make a difference in others‘ life. We should all think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.

Rosalba Luongo working hard, but always smiling, on Il Mercatino di IWA 2022

Brunella Bighi with other volunteers

Ihave volunteered at Il Mercatino for as long as I can remember, probably since it started in 1986. In those days it was very much an Italian community affair, we all cooked dishes at home or in the Duchess of Kent Children Hospital’s kitchen for lunch in the gardens. It was a casual but very social event with many consul generals and VIPs in attendance. Guests would buy whole tables and it soon became known as the best Italian food in town! Besides making trays and trays of coffee and chocolate semifreddo from my mum’s recipe, I was always helping in the Mercatino selling all sorts of things donated by many different companies. Being at the hospital grounds made the

event even more meaningful as often the young patients would be mingling with the guests and we could see the difference that our funds would make.

recycle a large number of goods that may otherwise end up in landfills or otherwise be destroyed is for me a big added bonus.

Times and circumstances change but I am very proud that we, at IWA, are continuing this fundraising tradition and that now we have expanded our reach into the community by supporting Operation Santa Claus and many other organizations. The hard work that goes into organizing such a complex event, especially in these difficult times, is well rewarded by the huge amount of people coming to buy our goods knowing that we offer high-quality products at very affordable prices. The fact that we help

The Company I represent, Ferrari Logistics (Asia) Ltd, a leader in the shipping and logistics of high-value products globally, has been in Hong Kong for almost 20 years, since I arrived in early 2004.

It was only many years after my arrival that I got to know personally the amazing job of the Italian Women’s Association and immediately reflected their values with the ones shared by Ferrari, the company I am working for. After meeting with the President and the rest of the Committee, I decided I wanted to contribute and support the logistics and transportation side. Even though Ferrari’s help is spread over the whole year, it becomes essential during Il Mercatino, when goods are picked-up from different donors in Hong

Kong, stored and delivered to the venue, in PMQ. The Market has become an annual appointment also for Ferrari guards and staff, who enjoy being part of IWA’s team and contribute with their manpower and logistics skills.

Although I have been travelling a lot recently, after COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, I decided I couldn’t miss this year’s edition, as Il Mercatino is a fixed appointment. I feel involved not only as part of Ferrari, but also as a volunteer. I strongly share and admire the huge amount of work done year after year, by members and non-members of IWA, who commit their time and spend their energies, with sometimes limited resources, to turn a Charity Market into an amazing and successful event, for both the local and international community in Hong Kong.

Towards the end of the day during our recent Mercatino, we were approached by a couple who collects clothes for homeless people. They asked us if they could have whatever remained unsold and we happily gave them several men’s shirts, pants and jackets to help keep them warm during the coming cool weather. Making a direct difference to people in need is what keeps the spirit of IWA going and during our Mercatino is very tangible all around. While celebrating another year of success, we would like to thank all the people who made this event possible: the volunteers, the sponsors, the donors and the big audience of PMQ.

Brunella Bighi, member of IWA

Filippo Melchionni, MD Ferrari Group APAC

Ferrari delivering the products for Il Mercartino di IWA at PMQ

The Origin of

Giovanni Pina’s Legendary Panettone

Many years ago, at the end of the fifteenth century in Italy, when Milan was the most important and richest city in Europe, there lived a great artist, perhaps the greatest in history. His name was Leonardo da Vinci.

Ludovico il Moro had called him to Milan and had entrusted him with various jobs, one above all, to paint the Last Supper in the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Leonardo was a true genius and he was interested in everything. The Lord of Milan, Ludovico il Moro gave him a vineyard right in front of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. When Leonardo had a free moment, he went to see for himself the health of his vineyards. He loved wine like any good Tuscan and wanted his to be the best. So, by chance, leaving the church and going to his vineyard, he smelled an incredible perfume coming out of a bakery that was becoming the most famous and delicious in Milan. The owner, Toni, had made a very special bread thanks to the intuition of one of his apprentices who fell in love with his daughter, adding sugar, raisins, candied fruit, cedar peel, butter and eggs. Toni’s Bread. In the Italian language, bread is pane. Hence, Pane del Toni was born - the Panettone.

wines, desserts and inimitable coffee. Italy and Hong Kong will be very close, linked by respect for traditions, by the union of families and by respect for parents. We want our customers to feel like guests of a large Italian family with deep respect for hospitality, tradition, choice of the best raw materials, and freshness of the food.

want our customers to feel like guests of a large Italian family with deep respect for hospitality, tradition, choice of the best raw materials, and freshness of

The scent of Panettone was so good that among the customers of the bakery there was also the great artist Leonardo da Vinci. This legend was told by the first Giovanni Pina in history, the founder of the Pina pastry shop in 1920, to the little Giovanni Pina who today carries on with immense success the tradition of high Italian pastry that was first to his grandfather, then to his father and now to him. Giovanni Pina’s panettone is considered one of the best in the world.

With total respect for freshness and the choice of the best raw materials, it is made in Hong Kong by our Master Pastry Chef, thus avoiding importing it from Italy. This allows you to avoid the use of preservatives that would modify the original flavour. So in Hong Kong, the taste of Giovanni Pina’s Panettone is exactly what you could try in Milan and Italy at Christmas.

Christmas in Hong Kong at “Giovanni Pina 1920” will finally be much more peaceful than in the last two years. Together with the Master Pastry Chef Giovanni Pina, recently elected among the best pastry chefs in the world and his sweet creations made exclusively for Christmas 2022, we will be able to offer special moments, in full respect of the Italian tradition of Christmas. Business lunches and dinners, meetings with friends and family reunions in a refined setting, made even more exclusive by the uniqueness of Italian hospitality, food,

Giovanni Pina has a long history of success and affirmations on the Italian and international markets. A family business that still respects the rules imposed by the founder in 1920. A distinctive element is precise craftsmanship because history begins as an artisan workshop. Even if the industrial plants are today very modern and of the latest generation, the company follows every step of production in an artisanal way.

We

the food.

Giovanni Pina Master Pastry Chef

The Italian International Nursery and Kindergarten,

a non-profit private international school, was founded in 2019 by SAPIENTIA FOUNDATION, with its premises at South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau. It is part of the Sapientia Foundation’s sponsored initiatives to ensure children’s right to quality education and promote the Italian language and culture for Italian families living in Hong Kong. The School is also proceeding to obtain accreditation (“parificazione” – in Italian) by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Consulate of Italy in Hong Kong, thus to be part of the network of the Italian

“Reggio Emilia Approach” in cooperation with Reggio Children. This international organisation was established to promote and preserve the educational system inspired by the experience of Reggio Emilia’s Municipal Infant-Toddler Centres and Pre-Schools.

The School aims to be truly international, with deep respect and appreciation of all cultures, religions and traditions, to educate children to be world citizens. Currently, pupils enrolled in the School are from 11 different nationalities: Australian, British, Canadian, Chinese, Dutch, Hongkongese, Hungarian, Indian, Italian, Pakistani and Swiss. Thus, the Italian International Nursery and Kindergarten represents a cultural exchange between Hong Kong, Italy and other countries.

The School has two streams: English and Chinese, plus Italian language and culture, and Italian and English, plus Chinese language and culture, both with half-day and wholeday options. In addition, to enrich and cultivate children’s interests, the School organises a wide range of extracurricular activities and weekday and weekend playgroups

The School management team and the teachers – 23 people in the 2022-23 School year –mirror pupils’ multiculturalism. They come from eight different countries, and each of them is a native speaker of the respective taught language. Beyond their educational qualifications and prior teaching experiences, that is a must to ensure that children build solid foundations of both phonics and phonological awareness for the pursuit of their learning. Over the past year, Italian International Nursery and Kindergarten students have been admitted to local, private, and international primary schools in Hong Kong and abroad. Attention to individual learning needs and one-on-one support when preparing for admission interviews are part of the School’s approach to education to ensure children’s rights and self-confidence.

Fundamental to any educational institution, the School cherishes and cultivates relationships with families. Weekly agenda, monthly newsletter, project report and individual portfolio are the main documentation prepared by the class teachers to have families acknowledge their children’s activities and learning objectives. Regular parenting talks, from positive education to primary allocation seminars, parties to celebrate festivities, parents-children cooking and art classes, outdoor sports and family days additionally fill the School calendar with opportunities for parents to be actively involved in children’s learning journeys.

at the Italian International Nursery and Kindergarten

hristmas is a very joyous season of the year and a turning point in the School calendar, after a few months at the School and before a class break.

In Italy, all along the Advent period, children are very excited for the arrival of Babbo Natale (Santa Claus) and “la Befana”, a folkloristic figure that closes the Christmas holidays. La Befana is an old woman who visits the children on the night between 5 and 6 January and brings them sweets as a gift. Traditionally, children leave her a sock to fill.

On the 16th of December, a traditional Italian cookies baking class will engage parents and children. According to the Reggio Children Approach, food is a language of identity, expression and relationship. It is also an international and intercultural theme, which allows the promotion of culture in dialogue with others. So join us if you want a handmade sweet treat with your kid!

For the upcoming Christmas, the Italian International Nursery and Kindergarten team has planned a series of themed learning and fun activities such as storytelling about the birth of Jesus and the arrival of the Wise Kings and rehearsal of Christmas songs to be performed at the Christmas Party. Parents with children will participate in a photo contest for the best greeting card featuring the beautiful Neapolitan nativity (“presepio” in Italian). The School has a classical nativity with animals, angels and shepherds handmade by Marco Ferrigno, a famous craftsman. His ancestors started making the figures in terra cotta, painting and dressing them in silk in 1836 in Naples. The winners will be revealed during the School Christmas party on the 10th of December, after the Christmas performance.

More activities are open to all children and families in Hong Kong to countdown to Christmas together and experience the School curriculum and Reggio Emilia Approach.

And if your family is not leaving for the holiday, on 20th and 21st December, a two half-day STEAM Christmas Camp for children aged 2-6 years will feature lots of activities, from coding to art to cooking.

Soon after the 6th of January, the Italian International Nursery and Kindergarten will switch the vibe to welcome the Chinese New Year. Preparations are already ongoing to welcome the Rabbit Year!

Stay tuned on School activities, and follow the children’s adventures on our Social Media.

Italian International Nursery and kindergarten

For School and Extra-Curricular Activities enquiries: +852 2662 3066

For Playgroups enquiries: +852 5702 2731

Hong Kong shines every day with its bright skyscrapers and billboards, but especially during Christmas the city lights up! A magical atmosphere warms up people’s hearts and makes every corner even more welcoming.

From meeting Santa Claus virtually to dreamy outdoor lighting displays, let’s check out the installations of this festive jolly season!

Christmas has always been a gentle ray of sunshine in the dark winter and beyond its joyful value, it is most of all made of lights! They light our way back home and fill us up with warmth during the cold December nights. Every place displays them in a different way, but always trying to keep the Christmas mood! So, what makes them different from country to country?

Of course it is a matter of culture, and traditions play a key role as well, helping in the definition of the cultural context within Christmas is celebrated.

Let’s discover more about Hong Kong and Italy’s Christmas lights’ use, purposes and display!

If you are looking for the perfect Instagram spot during this magical celebration, West Kowloon Cultural District is the place for you. With a giant Christmas tree overlooking the harbour, decorated with garlands, ornaments and festive lights — you’re bound to get the perfect photo.

Known for its insta-worthy decorations, Lee Tung Avenue’s alluring Christmas

lights allow people to give back to the community. From November 16 to December 31, the avenue will host the famous switch-on show from London, The Spirit of Christmas. Take a glimpse of Christmas London-style, with shining spirits suspended above the street.

The Christmas lights are of course one of the attractions this season, most of the buildings on the harbour front are brightly decorated. An evening on the Aqua Luna Harbour Cruise during this season is truly a breathtaking experience.

Lee Tung Avenue, Wan Chai

West Kowloon Cultural District, West Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui

Apulia

Italy does not usually display huge light installations during the year, but Christmas is definitely a wonderful exception, and that is why this celebration represents an even more special moment. However, every city uses Christmas lights in a different way, so let’s discover how they are displayed according to the town’s mood and to the meaning they want to convey!

Venice is for sure one of the most iconic examples in the display of Christmas lights, magically illuminating its alleys and squares for this ritual celebration. The main gate to Venice lights up, as well as the connection node between the city of water and the city of land. St. Mark’s Square, the Marciana and the main streets in the Santa Croce, Cannaregio, San Marco and Castello districts. Lights and installations will shine bright until the end of Carnival, the very iconic appointment in Venetian life.

Moving to the South of Italy, Salerno inaugurates the Christmas period by switching on the “White Horse”

sculpture in the town’s Villa Comunale. Moreover, the Salerno edition of “Artists’ Lights’’ offers visitors iconic elements of Christmas in the form of light installations, such as the “Santa Claus Hat”, alongside authentic light sculptures such as the Tree of Life.

An other city that certainly can not be missing from the list is Alberobello, in Apulia, that welcomes the site-specific Christmas installations illuminating the Rione Aia Piccola area. The installations, distributed along the alleys of the quarter, give life to a luminous nativity scene with 30 figures and 12 attractions, giving a magical touch to the trullo-homes emblematic of this splendid UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In conclusion, the most emblematic Christmas atmosphere comes to life in the city of Como, with its “Magic Light Festival”. Since 1994, thanks to the “Citta dei Balocchi“, during this time of the year Como becomes a shining city: lights, market stalls and a lot of wonderful events are organised in the city and this town is something not to miss if you are planning to travel to the North of Italy.

If you are looking to do some Christmas festivities or planning a merry holiday this year, you can not miss the fascinating “Citta dei Balocchi”, that has been organising in Como for more than twenty years. The city and the children are truly the real stars of Christmas and there is nothing more traditional than that!

Citta dei Balocchi, Como

Christmas unifies everyone thanks to the magic it conveys, and both Hong Kong and Italy share their warm attention and care about lights at this time of the year. In fact, they represent a core value and a true form of visual art, being used both for a decorative and meaningful purpose.

Talking about Hong Kong, lights contribute to the creation of the magical Christmas atmosphere taking on an attractive role, adding value and visibility to all the buildings. Concerning to Italy, a strong cultural heritage

about Christmas is also present, and the Italian traditional values also play a key role during this celebration. Lighting effects are extremely dynamic, creative and fascinating, always ready to tell a new Christmas story and to raise curiosity: it is not only about lights, but also about involving scenarios and real characters and creatively displaying them on buildings.

The magic is all around, and both in Hong Kong and in Italy you will surely feel at home this Christmas!

ItalyAlberobello,

Famous Italian Christmas Sweets and dishes

Panettone is a sweet, eggy cake that is traditionally dotted with candied and dried fruit. It was first created in Milano, though nobody is sure exactly how it came to be.

The legend says that in the 15th century, a chef in service at the court of the Duke of Milano, Ludovico il Moro had mistakenly burnt the cake to be served at the end of a lunch, and, with no option left, he decided to instead serve a dessert made by one of the helpers, named Toni, who had quickly prepared a leavened bread with honey, adding in some raisins, flour, eggs, and fruits. The cake was much appreciated and was called by the name of its inventor, “pan del Toni” (Toni’s bread), from which the name today panettone.

PANETTONE PANDORO

Pandoro is made from a rich, eggy dough. The cake is baked in an eight-pointed star-shaped pan that gives it its signature form. It’s modelled after the mountains near Verona, where the cake was first made.

Its origins can be traced back to the Renaissance, when in the courts of the Venetian nobles it was used to cover the food with thin gold leaves, from which, therefore, the name “pan de oro” (golden bread).

The bread, however, gained popularity in the late 17th century, and many people were partaking in it by the turn of the 18th century. A patent was granted, and soon it was commercially marketed as Pandoro.

Pandoro is usually served with vanilla-flavoured powdered sugar dusted on top, almost as a symbol of the “snow” on the top of the mountains!

CAGGIONETTI

Caggionetti looks a bit like the popular pasta dish, but instead of meats or vegetable fillings, it houses a sweet filling that can be made with honey, chocolate, rum, lemon or chestnuts. There are different interpretations of the recipe, but you can prepare it to your liking.

Back in the day, it was a sweet commonly handed out after Mass in the festive season. It originates from Abruzzo and today is enjoyed by many from the November run-up to Christmas.

PANFORTE

Panforte translates as Strong Bread which goes back to Siena in the 13th century. In 1205, Panforte was used as payment for the monks and nuns of the local monastery. This popular dessert is hugely popular in its homeland – it’s relatively easy to make. The sugar is dissolved in honey and nuts, with the mixture of this and the fruits and spices blended and poured into a shallow pan to cook. Again, a topping of icing sugar is recommended for that final Wintery flourish.

TORDILLI

These delicious sweet fritters from Calabria are also known as Turdilli or Turdiddri.

They are a favourite festive dish as part of a Calabrian Christmas dinner or a tasty snack in the lead-up to the big day. The recipe uses flour, eggs and wine but other seasonings can be used too – common favourites are orange zest and cinnamon.

STRUFFOLI

Struffoli are tiny balls of fried dough tossed in a delicious sticky honey sauce and decorated with festive sprinkles. You might also see these honey balls called Cicerchiata (Abruzzo), Scalilli (Calabria), or Pignolata (Sicily). Whatever you call them, they are sweet, sticky and delicious. Although they might look like mini-fried doughnuts, they don’t have that kind of texture. They’re crispy on the outside with a slightly softer middle and the honey makes them sweet, sticky and utterly delicious.

TORRONE

A traditional sweet to be enjoyed in December time, Torrone is a nougat that’s enjoyed all around the world –the Italian version does have some subtle differences from other countries in that fewer nuts are used to make the final product. Torrone can vary in texture and cater for both tastes, whether soft and chewy to harder and more brittle.

The oldest Torrone is said to pre-date the Roman period in history. Torrone di Benevento was widely recognised in the area of Samnium. Today, the nougat is prepared with honey, sugar, and egg whites along with a handful of toasted almonds or other nuts. You can also add other flavours such as vanilla or lemon to sweeten the taste further still.

RICCIARELLI

Ricciarelli is made in the shape of an oval diamond.

The story goes that a knight called Ricciardetto della Gherardesca came back from the Crusades. To celebrate his return, the knight wished to make something that contained a little flavour of the Middle East. With almonds used in the recipe, these offered the requisite reminder of Middle Eastern cuisine – some also say that the shape of the cookie resembles a Turkish slipper.

It’s made to a simple recipe with outstanding results: the combined taste of almonds, lemon zest and vanilla extract (capped off with the customary coating of icing sugar) makes for a fine Christmas sweet and is best enjoyed with a complementing dessert wine.

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina has been present in Hong Kong since 2012. The Delegation is headed by Savio Pesaventoandwelcomesnewmembers, individuals who are passionate about food and knowledgeable about Italian cuisine.

Unusual Christmas Celebrations Around Italy

The preparation of the Christmas tree, the exchange of gifts, the Christmas lunch and family gatherings… are all classical ways of celebrating Christmas and the holiday season in Italy. However, in every region and old town, it is still possible to see ancient and peculiar rituals that are intertwined with local history and traditions. Come with us on a tour of Italy’s most suggestive, unusual and quirky Christmas Holiday celebrations around Italy!

The Festa della Befana, celebrated on 6th January, is one of the most popular traditions in the collective imagination of Italian people as it marks the end of the Christmas holiday. In modern folk culture, the Befana is a charming old lady who brings gifts in memory of those offered by the Magi to baby Jesus. To celebrate this holiday, it is traditional to hang stockings on the fireplace waiting for the old witch to fly around the city on her broom. At nighttime, she sneaks into houses to fill the stockings with sweets for the good children and coal for the bad ones. But why simply use a broom when she could float around the Venetian canals?

Started as a game among members of the oldest rowing company in Venice, the Regata delle Befane has already become a classic that attracts curious enthusiasts to the city. The competition starts from the residence of the last Doge of Venice, and moves on to the Grand Canal towards the Rialto Bridge, where an enormous stocking hanging from the bridge represents the finish line. The entertainment for the spectators is guaranteed by the outfits of the athletes and their supporters dressed up as Santa Claus and Befana.

In Italy, as in many other countries where Christmas is celebrated, one of the great protagonists of the long-awaited holiday season is definitely the decorated tree: an iconic symbol of conviviality, family and love, all core values of Italian culture. But perhaps not everyone knows that Italy is home to the world’s largest Christmas tree in the world. Yes, indeed! A luminous silhouette that lights up the Christmas of Gubbio, a medieval town in the central region of Umbria, that since 1991 it holds the record of hosting the most giant Christmas tree in the world: an evocative journey through history, culture and devotion, passing from the city’s ancient walls to the basilica of the town’s patron saint, S. Ubaldo, at the mountain’s peak.

This mountain-side tree on the slopes of Monte Ingino is lit up each year by over 750 multicolored lights that make up the 750m high tree, made every year by a group of volunteers in the name of love, brotherhood and friendship. An annual lighting ceremony dating back to 1981, where the town’s residents, donors and visitors to the tree raise money for charity.

Not all witches fly on brooms!

A Christmas without lights is not Christmas, isn’t it?

Excuse me… Is this Italy or the Middle East?

If you happened to visit the city of Matera at Christmas, you would have the feeling of being brought back to ancient Jerusalem. Because of its incredible beauty, this town in the southern region of Basilicata has been the fortunate location of great film productions with a religious background: the celebrated ‘Vangelo secondo Matteo’ by Pier Paolo Pasolini, or ‘The Passion’ by Mel Gibson. If so many directors have chosen this setting for narrating such important moments of the Holy Scriptures, there could not have been a better location for the performance of the Presepe Vivente, a living crib: the Sassi di Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The living nativity scene is a very ancient Christian tradition that consists of a theatrical representation of the birth of Jesus, with a set design that recalls the events of the nativity. In Matera, it has been held since 2010: a unique event in which figurants and cultural associations from southern Italy take part, with performances by professional actors who stage moments of Roman life and perform ancient crafts. In the stunning setting of the Sassi, images and views accompany you on an inner journey, full of faith and spirituality.

A Christmas classic in its quirkiest form

And if you still didn’t get enough of folklore and magic, let’s move to southern Italy, Naples, where the tradition of nativity scenes and Christmas markets is very much alive. Via San Gregorio Armeno, also known as Via dei Presepi, is the heart of Neapolitan crib art, where the Christmas spirit during this period reaches its maximum radiance. Every corner of the city is filled with small artisan shops that sell statuettes of typical crib figures and display their exclusively handmade works all year round.

Beautiful nativity scenographies with precious handmade shepherds: everything is taken care of in the smallest detail, to make the observer stunned by such wonderful traditions. Among the sacred characters, there are numerous townsfolk and figures from the trades. Everyone knows that master craftsmen also enjoy creating special ‘shepherds’, the main peculiarity here, in fact, is the union of sacred and profane. New characters from TV, cinema and politics make their way with the usual dose of good humor and jokes. Shepherds, animals, Three Kings, but also famous personalities such as Maradona and Toto. Being part of the Neapolitan crib has now become an aspiration of many people.

When the night comes, candles shine in Candelara

Put together the blue of the night, a starry sky, the moon obscured by clouds and a medieval village lit only by candles. Fantasy? No! Such an atmosphere really exists. We are talking about Candele a Candelara, the first and only Italian festival entirely dedicated to flames in wax. It is one of the most beautiful events in the Marche region, one of those where magic is truly at home. Candles have always had a very close bond with this small village, where you can breathe in tradition and see breathtaking views.

The festival takes place in the ancient medieval village around Pesaro, but the real magic comes when every evening the artificial lights are switched off to make way for thousands of lit flames. In no time at all, it feels like a fairytale among wooden houses and streets lit only by the warm and reassuring light of candles. Depending on where visitors are, the lights follow them in a whirlwind of different events: luminous stilt-walkers, jugglers, and bagpipe players, which are the backdrop to all this magic. It is also possible to watch live the preparation of candles, strictly made of beeswax, as was done in the Middle Ages.

people and promote business exchanges between Italy, Hong Kong and Macao since 1997.

M+ celebrates its first anniversary by staging the outstanding exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now”, which is the largest retrospective of Yayoi Kusama in Asia outside Japan. The exhibition features more than 200 works of various art forms across six themes: Infinity, Accumulation, Radical Connectivity, Biocosmic, Death, and Force of Life. The exhibition also showcases three new works of Kusama, including:

Pumpkin (2022): Two new large sculptures employing one of Kusama’s most well-known motifs, yellow pumpkins with a black dotted pattern, are free for public viewing.

Death of Nerves (2022): A large-scale installation in the form of a colourful, web-like network. It references Kusama’s signature infinity nets and connects to the themes of Infinity and Death.

Dots Obsession - Aspiring to Haven’s Love (2022): An immersive environment filled with Kusama’s signature polka dots and reflective mirrors, together with large white dotted balloons suspended from the ceiling, provides a kaleidoscopic perceptual experience.

Hong Kong Philharmonic: Christmas Fantasia

The multitalented Apollo Wong conducts two wonderful choirs, The Hong Kong Children’s Choir and Hong Kong Philharmonic Chorus, together with the HK Phil, in a beautiful programme of sacred and secular music in a Christmas Fantasia. The programme features Tchaikovsky, timeless melodies from Handel’s Messiah, a musical visit from our neighbour Totoro, and tuneful treats from around the world, including all your favourite festive songs. The concert runs for approximately 1.5 hours without intermission.

All the ones who are interested are welcome to join because music is for everyone!

Christmas is finally coming! Immerse yourself in the festive ambience of a merry Hong Kong holiday season and let the city’s lights fill you up with warmth on cold winter nights.

This December, the skyline shines with more glamour than usual as the sparkling Christmas Town sits amidst the hub of Hong Kong. Hot events at top attractions, special privileges and offers provided by popular shopping malls and shops, festive menus and seasonal dishes at trendy hotels and restaurants as well as special tours and themed itineraries will spread excitement in this joyous atmosphere! Enjoy ‘A Symphony of Lights’, which illuminates the skyline every evening.

Ring in the new year with all the glamour of Hong Kong’s countdown celebrations for an unforgettable festive season with the sparkling WinterFest.

The 2022 Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon is set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of HKSAR on 18 December — join thousands of cyclists for a breathtaking ride through the diverse cityscape of Hong Kong in this exhilarating event!

The event will kick off with the popular 50 km Ride and 30 km Ride for amateur and professional cyclists. Both rides will start from Tsim Sha Tsui East and feature various iconic landmarks — the 50 km Ride will even take riders across Tsing Ma Bridge, Ting Kau Bridge and Stonecutters Bridge. Local athletes and cycling teams will also compete for the coveted “HKSAR 25th Anniversary Trophy” along Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade. Spectators are welcome to come to cheer for the riders, too.

The radiant Victoria Harbour is the perfect spot to enjoy Hong Kong’s spectacular countdown on New Year’s Eve! When the clock strikes midnight, be ready to immerse yourselves in these spectacular celebrations and share cheer and good wishes with loved ones for a brilliant start to the new year!

A special edition of the multimedia light and sound show ‘A Symphony of Lights’ will synchronise with pyrotechnics set off from the rooftops of prime buildings on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, lighting up the skies and the harbour.

Join this joyful festival to usher in 2023 and kick off a healthy and prosperous new year with the unforgettable countdown celebrations!

Nadia’s bank.