LCQ20: Activities in celebration of the National Day and exhibitions relating to patriotic education

     Following is a question by the Hon Chan Yung and a written reply by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):
 
Question:
 
     Regarding the activities in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the exhibitions relating to patriotic education organised by the HKSAR Government this year, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the following information on the aforesaid celebratory activities: (i) the names of the activities, (ii) the organising government departments, (iii) the dates on which the activities were held (with commencement and end dates) and (iv) the numbers of participants, and set out the breakdown in the table below; and

       
(2) whether it has assessed the overall effectiveness of the various exhibitions relating to patriotic education (including the national security exhibition and the "Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People's Republic of China in Its 75 Years" exhibition series at the Hong Kong Museum of History, as well as the exhibitions at the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence) in terms of the attendances, the level of satisfaction, etc; whether it will continuously step up promotion of such exhibitions through more innovative means, so as to attract more members of the public and tourists to visit them?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Having consulted the relevant bureaux and departments, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Chan Yung is as follows:
 
     This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. To celebrate this important day with members of the public, the HKSAR Government has spared no effort in planning and launching a wide array of rich, diverse and creative celebratory activities before and after the National Day featuring the spirit of patriotism, so as to share the joy of the National Day with the public, while at the same time promote patriotism.
 
     Regarding part (1) of the question, the HKSAR Government and various sectors of the community has organised more than 400 celebratory activities before and after the National Day. Details of the events are available on the dedicated website (www.nationalday75.gov.hk). As at October 16, 2024, 38 amongst the 71 highlight celebratory events organised by various policy bureaux and departments had been completed. Please refer to the Annex for details.
 
     Regarding part (2) of the question, the HKSAR Government has organised a number of exhibitions with elements of patriotism, for example, the thematic exhibition "Brothers in Arms: War of Resistance Activities of the East River Column in Shenzhen and Hong Kong" exhibited at the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence since September 4, 2024, and the "Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People's Republic of China in Its 75 Years' Exhibition Series" at the Hong Kong Museum of History and Hong Kong Science Museum since September 27, 2024, etc. Moreover, the covered walkway of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park is currently hosting the "Trendsetting Travel in China" display to showcase national achievements, whereas the thematic book exhibition "The Glorious and Momentous Days – Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China" is being held at various public libraries and the Hong Kong Museum of History. These exhibitions cover various themes across different areas, presenting a comprehensive display of the country's development. Overall speaking, the exhibitions are effective and the response of the public is overwhelming. As at October 15, the exhibitions organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) have recorded over 300 000 visitors. The LCSD will continue to promote the exhibitions through various channels including online media, and organise related education and extension programmes to attract more locals and visitors.
 
     In addition, the National Security Exhibition Gallery, located at the Hong Kong Museum of History, is the first dedicated exhibition in Hong Kong to systematically introduce national security. It has been opened to the public for visits with free admission since August 7 this year and has already welcomed 100 000 visitors in just two months. This shows that the community attaches great importance to and is supportive for national security education. Visitors have given very positive feedback about the exhibition hall, and consider the exhibition contents rich, diverse, and educational. In order to attract more locals and visitors, the National Security Exhibition Gallery will roll out thematic exhibitions in mid-2025 for the 10th National Security Education Day and the 5th anniversary of the promulgation of the Hong Kong National Security Law.
 
     The HKSAR Government is truly grateful for the staunch support received from various sectors of the community and the general public, without such, these many celebratory events would not have completed so successfully. This fully reflects the passion and love from all Hong Kong citizens for our country. The HKSAR Government will continue to press ahead with perseverance and determination, bring together the community forces, and take on the responsibility to lead Hong Kong to a brighter future.