Exhibition on national flag, emblem and anthem opens June 28

*********************************************************



"The National Flag, Emblem and Anthem of the People's Republic of China" exhibition will run from this Saturday, June 28, to July 14 at the Exhibition Hall of Hong Kong City Hall Low Block.

Comprising 80 photographs and artefacts, the exhibition tells how China's National Flag, Emblem and Anthem were chosen, while delving into the deeper meanings behind them.

The National Flag, Emblem and Anthem are symbols of a country, manifesting its sovereignty and dignity. On October 1, 1949, when the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) was proclaimed, the National Flag of New China was hoisted at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The playing of the National Anthem, "The March of the Volunteers", was the climax of the Founding Ceremony. To mark the first anniversary of the founding of the PRC, the National Emblem was placed at the Tiananmen Tower.

The exhibition is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the National Museum of China, the Education and Manpower Bureau and the Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture.

Most of the exhibits of historical significance on display are on loan from the National Museum of China. They include the manuscript of the original design of the National Flag, the National Emblem of the PRC on the ballot box used at the First National People's Congress in 1954, a postcard bearing the lyrics of the National Anthem, the microphone used by Chairman Mao Zedong to proclaim the founding of the PRC at the Tiananmen Tower, and the PRC's first Olympic gold medal.

The exhibition also features a collection related to the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, intended to deepen the public's understanding of the origin and significance of the Regional Flag and Emblem.

End/Tuesday, June 24, 2003

NNNN