Today (April 15) is the National Security Education Day. The Security Bureau (SB) and its disciplined services and auxiliary services have organised various activities in line with the theme of "National Security Foundation of Stability and Prosperity" this year to deepen the public's understanding of the work of the disciplined services and auxiliary services and their effectiveness in safeguarding national security. A number of Principal Officials also participated to support the events.
      
     The SB and its disciplined services jointly held a flag raising ceremony at the Hong Kong Police College this morning, with the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, officiating at it. Opening the ceremony, the Hong Kong Police Band conducted a performance, followed by a march-in by the disciplined services ceremonial guard, youth groups of various disciplined services and youth uniformed groups. The Police flag party then marched into the venue and conducted the flag raising ceremony with the playing and singing of the National Anthem. The flag raising ceremony was broadcast live via Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) TV 32 and the Facebook pages of the SB and the disciplined services.
      
     The Hong Kong Police College, the Immigration Service Institute of Training and Development, the Hong Kong Customs College, the Hong Kong Correctional Services Academy and the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy held their open day today. Various events including grand parades, exercise demonstrations, guided tours of the colleges, virtual reality experiences, game booths, introduction of state-of-the-art and professional equipment, sharing by frontline personnel and more were organised to allow members of the public to learn more about the disciplined services' work in preventing and defending against national security risks and raise public awareness of national security and abiding by the law. The SB and its disciplined services and auxiliary services including the Government Flying Service, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service also set up exhibition booths at the Hong Kong Police College to introduce information about national security and their relevant work.
      
     The SB launched the Safeguarding National Security Cup and the Disciplined Forces National Security Education Promotion Competition this year for the first time. The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, and the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, officiated at the awards presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Correctional Services Academy this afternoon. The Safeguarding National Security Cup competition aimed to allow members of the SB and its disciplined services and auxiliary services to participate in sports competitions organised by their respective units, such as badminton, basketball, relay running, indoor rowing, triathlon and more, to strengthen their bodies and enhance their awareness of promoting national security. As regards the Disciplined Forces National Security Education Promotion Competition, awards were presented to the disciplined services and auxiliary services, which had the most outstanding exhibition booth in the Hong Kong Police College during the above-mentioned open day, in recognition of their efforts in promoting the safeguarding of national security.
      
     In addition, with the full support of the Department of Justice and the SB, "NSL Chronicles II" produced by RTHK will be aired at 4pm and 7.30pm on Radio 1 channel of RTHK and RTHK TV 31 respectively tomorrow (April 16). A new episode will be broadcast every week and there will be a total of nine episodes. Government officials, legal experts and academics will talk about the provisions of the Hong Kong National Security Law with the help of some local cases. Mr Tang will also launch a series of short videos on social media starting today, explaining the important concepts of national security, the national security risks faced by Hong Kong, and the content of the Hong Kong National Security Law in an easy-to-understand way, so as to further enhance the public's awareness of safeguarding national security.
      
     Apart from the flag raising ceremony, Mr Tang also attended other national security education activities today including the National Security Education Day Opening Ceremony cum Seminar held by the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the world's largest physical board game named "Know Your National Security - 415 National Security Education Day Board Game Event" held by the Yau Tsim Mong District Office at the West Kowloon Cultural District.
      
     Continual and dedicated efforts by the entire community in Hong Kong are needed in order to safeguard national security effectively. The SB encourages members of the public to take the initiative to learn the important themes of national security, enhance their awareness of safeguarding national security, and shoulder together the obligation to safeguard national sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity.

Ends/Saturday, April 15, 2023
Issued at HKT 17:26

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