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The Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, today (December 6) continued his duty visit to Nanjing, accompanying more than 260 students and teachers from Hong Kong secondary schools to participate in the Mainland exchange activities of "Passing on the Torch" Platform Programme Series: An Exploration into the History and Culture in Nanjing.
Mr Ng said, "Being one of the four great ancient capitals of China, Nanjing is rich in cultural and historical relics. The city has been a political and cultural centre in southern China for a long period of time, with historical events and people having far-reaching impact on future generations. It provides us with a good chance to review and learn in the areas of history and culture."
"The Nanjing Massacre is an important historical event. Earlier this year, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress designated December 13 as Nanjing Massacre Memorial Day to commemorate the victims who died in the Nanjing Massacre and to remind people of this piece of history and the importance of peace. The visit by Hong Kong students and teachers to Nanjing for exchanges at this point of time can enhance students' motivation in learning Chinese history."
Two experienced history teachers who have received the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence joined the study tour as facilitators to provide guidance to students in completing history projects and share their own learning experience.
This morning Mr Ng and the participants took a look at the Memorial Hall of Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders. Afterwards they attended a seminar on "Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders" and were briefed by a history professor on the historical event from different perspectives.
In the afternoon, Mr Ng and the participants visited Nanjing University. In addition to touring the campus and learning more about the Mainland higher education system, they also heard some university students from Hong Kong share their experiences in furthering studies on the Mainland.
Tonight Mr Ng will attend a student debriefing session where the participants will sum up their learning outcomes and share their feelings about the exchange activities in Nanjing.
Ends/Saturday, December 6, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:30
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