THE world’s largest floating book fair, with over 5,000 titles, has opened its doors at a berth at Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post said.

    The fair, aboard the Logos Hope, covers a range of subjects and book types including science, sports, hobbies, children’s fiction, academic texts and more.

    Hong Kong is the latest stop on a world tour that will take the 132-meter ship to 14 different ports until July next year.

    The project is run by Good Books For All, which is part of a global Christian training and outreach movement.

    “[Reading] is an issue mainly in the developing world,” project managing director Seelan Govender told South China Morning Post.

    “Poverty is a big issue, certainly when we look at Africa. Giving children an opportunity to get a good education would lead them away from a life of poverty, and the value of books has the potential to change lives.”

    Dirk Colenbrander, the ship’s captain, said the project is about more than just selling books.

    “We bring knowledge, help and hope,” he said. “Knowledge is in the love for books and the conferences we give. We also bring help.

    “We just came from the Philippines, for example, where the rain caused flooding, so we tried to help in a practical way.

    “The reason I’m on this ship is because I too have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That is something so precious that I’d like to share it with other people.”

    It is the fourth time the fair has come to Hong Kong since it began in 1970. (SD-Agencies)