LCQ16: Commemorative activities for 80th anniversary of victory in War of Resistance
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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 (May 21):
Question:
This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, and Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao will also co-host the 15th National Games (15th NG) this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that in its reply to my question on February 26 this year, the Government indicated that the Working Group on Patriotic Education would co-ordinate various policy bureaux and government departments in launching a series of commemorative activities for the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, of the current progress of the Government’s preparation for such activities; and
(2) whether it will consider combining the publicity work for the 15th NG and the commemorative activities for the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance to achieve a synergy effect, thereby creating a widespread atmosphere of affection for our country and Hong Kong?
Reply:
President,
Having consulted the relevant bureaux, a consolidated reply in response to the questions raised by the Hon Chan Yung is as follows:
This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance as well as the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War. As mentioned in the reply in February this year, the Working Group on Patriotic Education led by the Chief Secretary for Administration has been co-ordinating the relevant bureaux and departments in launching a series of commemorative activities, and relevant preparations are progressing steadily. A diverse range of activities with rich content are under planning, including a memorial ceremony, thematic exhibitions, educational programmes for the public and students, enhancement of hiking trails and related tourism supporting facilities, as well as production of thematic videos for extensive promotion. Through such activities, we hope the members of the public would remember history and pay tribute to the martyrs. Specific examples include:
(1) The HKSAR Government will host a solemn official ceremony at the Hong Kong City Hall Memorial Garden on September 3, the Victory Day of the War of Resistance, to honour the occasion;
(2) The Home Affairs Department will provide funding and support to organisations for staging commemorative activities in the community, for instance, talks by veterans to recount their experiences during the War, and film shows about the War, with a view to deepening the understanding among members of the public about the historical events of the War on the Mainland and in Hong Kong, and fostering their sense of patriotism;
(3) The Hong Kong Museum of History of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is working with the National Museum of China on co-organising a large-scale thematic exhibition; the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence will jointly organise a thematic exhibition with the Guangdong Museum of Revolutionary History; and the LCSD will also organise a thematic talk “Reapproaching the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong from interactive map, 1941-1945” and a book display “Days of War” at the Hong Kong Central Library, as well as book displays, photo exhibitions and thematic talks at public libraries in different districts. Besides, the LCSD is planning for an array of workshops, field trips, and film screenings, etc;
(4) The Education Bureau is planning a series of activities including an academic seminar on the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, a lecture on the historical contributions of the Hong Kong and Kowloon Independent Brigade of the East River Column, roving exhibitions at schools on the history of the War, a territory-wide comic creative competition for secondary school students on the theme of the War, and field study tours on the history of the War on the Mainland and in Hong Kong;
(5) Through the “HYAB Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland” in 2025-26, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) provides funding to around 20 non-governmental organisations to organise youth exchange programmes with the theme of the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance, offering around 1 000 places. Also, the HYAB will co-ordinate the youth uniformed groups and non-governmental organisations in organising the relevant activities;
(6) The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) is enhancing the tourism supporting facilities of hiking trails with historical significance during the War, including the Lion Rock Historic Walk, Shing Mun War Relics Trail and Luk Keng War Relics Trail. The AFCD also installed interpretation panels at the Robin’s Nest Country Park to introduce the war relics there and the contributions of nearby villagers during the War, and produced and broadcast videos on social media platforms to let the public learn about the war history in the Robin’s Nest and Lin Ma Hang areas; and
(7) The Information Services Department is producing a mini drama themed “Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the War of Resistance”.
The specifics of the above activities are being worked out. We would announce the details in due course. Apart from the abovementioned activities which are spearheaded by government bureaux/departments, we understand that many community groups or organisations also intend to organise commemorative activities in various forms.
Regarding the promotional plans for the 15th National Games (NG), the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG), the HKSAR Government has been launching territory-wide publicity and promotion campaigns through various channels to enhance awareness and interest in the 15th NG and the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG across different sectors of the community. The initiatives include conducting multi-channel publicity through traditional media, social media, city dress-up and roving exhibitions; organising community engagement and school promotion activities in collaboration with local organisations and schools; hosting featured events such as athlete exchanges and sports experience activities in partnering with sports organisations; and establishing a dedicated website and mobile apps for digital promotion.
The next stage of our promotional efforts is to translate awareness into action to welcome the NG, NGD and NSOG to be held at the end of this year. In addition to organising diversified activities, such as the 100-day countdown, torch relay, Sport For All Day, we will also enhance publicity and city dress-up to foster a welcoming atmosphere, boost enthusiasm and participation in the Games, and encourage all Hong Kong citizens and visitors to support the competitions and cheer for Hong Kong and national athletes.
The NG, NGD and NSOG will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time, marking also Hong Kong’s inaugural participation as a co-host. This collaboration has great significance in raising Hong Kong’s profile for organising mega sports events, advancing the development of sports industry across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and fostering stronger people-to-people bonds. Through various publicity efforts, we aim to raise public awareness that the Games represent a major important national event while showcasing Hong Kong’s commitment as the host city, highlighting the seamless co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and underscoring the professionalism in event organisation and the sportsmanship of the athletes – all of which serve to deepen the national pride of Hong Kong people. We have specifically recruited 2 000 youth group volunteers to further strengthen their sense of belonging to our country, promote people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong and the Mainland, and cultivate the spirit of patriotism.
The 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance and the NG, NGD and NSOG are an excellent entry point for promoting patriotic education. Winning the War of Resistance is a great victory of the national spirit with patriotism at its core. It is of great historical significance and is an essential component for patriotic education. On the other hand, the NG, NGD and NSOG together is a national mega sports event. The co-hosting of the event by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao would strengthen bonding among people, and is an excellent opportunity to disseminate the message of patriotism. The HKSAR Government will conduct the publicity work of the two events under the overarching theme of patriotic education, with a view to promoting the messages of patriotism and cultivating a sense of belonging to the country among the public. Considering that the two events have their own distinctive meaning and focus in publicity, the HKSAR Government will launch targeted publicity on the two events at different points in time, and in an orderly manner, so as to ensure that the core message of the respective event will be fully delivered and the respective impact of the two events maximised, thereby enriching the patriotic education experience of the public.