Module Code 單元編號 GEL2018 Module Title 單元名稱 EXPLORING THE FRENCH PRESENCE IN HONG KONG Module Synopsis 單元概要 France has been a part of Hong Kong history for over 160 years. In 1888, a French missionary and botanist named Jean-Marie Delavay found a beautiful flower near Pok Fu Lam. He classified it as the bauhinia family, from the name of two other French botanists, the Bauhin brothers. Delavay grafted and replanted the species enthusiastically. The flower continued to grow in Hong Kong and later became the city’s floral emblem. Since the first French Consul in 1862, the French presence in Hong Kong has grown in size, visibility and diversity. Today, the city is home to the second largest French expatriate community in Asia, with about 20,000 French people, 800 French businesses and one of largest French arts festivals in Asia. The aim of the course is to develop students’ greater awareness of the French presence in Hong Kong, and to understand how this presence contributes to the city’s international character through experiential and non-formal activities. To reach this aim, students will explore the economic, social, and cultural aspects of the French presence in Hong Kong, based on their thematic interests. They will get involved with the local French community and events, with the purpose to observe and partake in their activities, and to understand their motivations and experiences of expatriation. Students will also seek to learn about the experiences and perceptions of Hongkongers who interact, in various ways, with the French presence in their city.