- Designed by Joseph Chen, the hotel’s cultural director, the three-month festival aims to help people find balance and learn to respect diverse minds
- Every week, Talking Points gives you a worksheet to practise your reading comprehension with exercises about the story we’ve written
Eaton Hong Kong recently held an inclusive cinema event, screening “The Little Prince” for neurodiverse children and their families. Photo: HandoutLike many Hongkongers caught up in the city’s fast-paced lifestyle, Joseph Chen found himself getting overwhelmed and burnt out from work.
As the director of culture at Eaton Hong Kong in Jordan, a hotel that also holds community and cultural events, the 31-year-old hosts more than 500 programmes per year. However, it wasn’t until he started getting stomachaches and headaches that the alarm bells began to ring.
“I went to the doctor, but they only prescribed painkillers to alleviate the pain and couldn’t provide a cure for the underlying problems,” he said.
To deal with his persistent discomfort, Chen turned to meditation, recognising that it was more than just a means to relax. “It helps me become aware of the connection between my body and mind ... Meditation trains my state of being, and I have learned to control my emotions and cognitive processes.”
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Stemming from his own experience, the director designed Eaton’s Consciousness Festival to promote inner exploration and generate positive change.
The three-month festival, which concludes in January, features performances, talks, workshops, and film screenings.
“What is a person’s subjective experience? What is the meaning of our existence? What is ‘me’? These are the questions I wish to explore during the festival ... to encourage self-discovery and foster community growth,” Chen said, highlighting the festival’s theme of “commoning and summoning all possible minds”.
“Everyone’s brain functions uniquely, and it affects how we perceive the world ... It would be an interesting exploration of how people can build common ground to understand each other.”
Neurodiversity and inclusivity
The festival explores four sub-themes through 31 programmes: mind and body, neurodiversity, altered states of consciousness, and mortality.
Highlighting neurodiversity is meant to make people more aware of individuals with special educational needs (SEN) and foster empathy, Chen explained.
Earlier this month, Eaton partnered with Movie Movie and artist collective Hass Lab on an inclusive cinema event for SEN children.
Traditional movie experiences can sometimes be tough for neurodivergent individuals, Chen said, as they may struggle to adhere to social codes such as staying seated and quiet during the film.
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“These kinds of unwritten rules are not friendly for children with special needs, and so we hoped to design a movie experience for them to be themselves, where they can move around or talk as they like,” Chen said, adding the movie they chose, The Little Prince, was also relevant to them.
“Although the author didn’t specify if the protagonist had autism, some of the characteristics he presents, such as following rules and enjoying a world that resembles the diagnosis, resonate with neurodivergent individuals.”
With 50 SEN children and their families in attendance, the screening received positive feedback, with many expressing their anticipation for more inclusive cinema experiences in the future.
Chen said: “There is a famous quote in The Little Prince: ‘All grown-ups were once children, but only a few of them remember it.’ I want to remind people that our minds in childhood were pure and free from judgment and prejudice.”
Encouraging empathy
While some might associate the Consciousness Festival with wellness, it goes beyond the concept and celebrates the diversity of minds.
“[Some people] rigidly believe that everyone is the same, assuming that we all have identical brains and that the same standards or rules should apply to everyone,” Chen said, saying this makes it tough to put yourself in another person’s shoes and understand why someone would think or express themselves differently.
Art is a powerful way to address such differences, such as through the Universe in a Tip exhibition, which will conclude on January 28 at Eaton. It showcases the artwork of three artists with different abilities, providing unique insights into the worlds they perceive.
“Despite experiencing disabilities in their bodies, these artists have discovered a distinct way of seeing the world,” Chen said.
Chen hopes the festival will remind people to prioritise their mental well-being and that of others.
“Hongkongers have busy schedules ... and external factors in the world have taken a toll on our inner peace. I hope these workshops can help individuals find balance in life while cultivating respect for the diversity of minds through empathy and compassion.”
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