Activities to commemorate centenary of 1911 Revolution (with photo)
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     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will collaborate with various sectors of the community to organise a wide range of activities commemorating the centenary of the 1911 Revolution. Designed to enhance public understanding of the event's historic significance, these activities will also cover the deeds of Dr Sun Yat-sen and other Hong Kong-based revolutionaries, illuminating the city's important role in the revolutionary movement.

     The Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Raymond Young, today (March 1) said, "An extensive array of commemorative activities was launched last year and will continue until early next year. It is hoped that the activities will attract wide public participation in commemoration of this historical event with its far-reaching impact." (Please refer to the Annex for details of the commemorative activities.)

     The activities are organised by a number of government bureaux and departments, including the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB), Education Bureau, Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Home Affairs Department (HAD), Hongkong Post and Radio Television Hong Kong, as well as various community, youth and cultural organisations. Activities include large-scale exhibitions, talks, seminars, cultural shows, creative competitions, the issuance of commemorative stamps and exchanges with the Mainland. A headline event is the "Centenary of China's 1911 Revolution" exhibition, which opened today at the Hong Kong Museum of History, jointly presented by the LCSD and Hubei Provincial Museum. In addition, Opera Hong Kong will present "Opera: Song of the Sun" at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in October. With a cast of renowned Chinese singers, the opera will walk the audience down the revolutionary road of 100 years ago. The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra will provide music accompaniment.

     Mr Young added that in order to honour the Qing revolutionary Mr Yang Quyun and Hong Kong's important role in the revolutionary movement, the Government will erect an information plaque beside Mr Yang's unnamed tomb at the Hong Kong Cemetery in Happy Valley to highlight his revolutionary deeds. The plaque is expected to be completed by the middle of this year.

     Mr Yang established the revolutionary body Furen Literary Society in Hong Kong in 1892 and was president of the Xing Zhong Hui (Revive China Society) responsible for planning the Guangzhou uprising. In 1901, Mr Yang was assassinated in Hong Kong by the Qing Government, and was buried at the Hong Kong Cemetery.

     Apart from the information plaque, the LCSD will publish a guide on the location of the tombs of Mr Yang and other prominent historical figures buried at the Hong Kong Cemetery to help the public locate them.

     The HAB today launched a dedicated webpage (www.hab.gov.hk/xinhai100) listing the commemorative activities organised by the Government together with community groups. Most of this information will also be contained in a pamphlet, copies of which will be distributed from tomorrow (March 2) at HAD's Public Enquiry Service Centres in the 18 districts, LCSD's public libraries and town halls, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and the Civic Education Resource Centre at Youth Square in Chai Wan.

Ends/Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:03

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