Nearly 1,000 students and teachers gathered at Golden Bauhinia Square for a flag-raising ceremony organised by the Association of Hong Kong Flag-guards to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Under Secretary for Education Jeff Sze Chun-fai attended the ceremony, witnessing the raising of the national flag and the regional flag alongside marching bands and flag-guarding contingents from various local schools.
Writing in a social media post, Sze praised the participants for their energetic performance and neat formation, noting that their active involvement reflected a strong sense of national pride and responsibility among Hong Kong youth. He expressed gratitude to the organisers and thanked the students and teachers for their dedication during rehearsals.
In his post, Sze highlighted the event as a core component of national education, adding that the solemn occasion reinforces students' sense of belonging and pride while reminding them of the close blood ties between Hong Kong and the motherland.
He also noted that nearly 1,000 local students recently participated in the "Salute to the National Flag" Hong Kong and Macao Youth Flag-Raising Teams' Beijing Visit Delegation, where they watched the ceremony at Tiananmen Square and observed the discipline of the People's Liberation Army Honor Guard.
Sze added that the Education Bureau will continue working with various sectors to promote national education and nurture a patriotic young generation with global vision and social commitment.
