A New Year's Eve countdown at the West Kowloon Cultural hub for the first time on Friday will kickstart more than 100 events celebrating the 25th anniversary of the SAR, Chief Secretary for Adminstration John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled yesterday.
Lee, who chairs an inter-departmental committee for the celebration events, said a series of cultural and art events will be rolled out to offer a variety of opportunities for citizens to celebrate.
The celebrations will begin on New Year's Eve where there will be a star-studded free concert and a countdown at the West Kowloon Cultural District, hosted by the Tourism Board for the first time. It will be broadcasted on free TV stations and ViuTV, as well as live-streamed on the board's website.
Other festivities for the 25th anniversary include a Lunar New Year Power Up Park as well as a grand parade by disciplined services and youth groups in July.
Lee said 14 Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices located overseas and SAR offices in the mainland will also participate in the celebrations.
This includes an exhibition of Hong Kong's return to the motherland that will be held at the National Museum of China in Beijing, whereas exhibitions of Hong Kong novelist Jin Yong will be held in other cities in the mainland.
A "Hong Kong Week" is to be held in Bangkok, while "Hong Kong Month" will be held in cities in Europe to promote the city's great international advantages around the globe.
Next year's motto, "A New Era, Stability, Prosperity, Opportunity" encapsulates Hong Kong's success and prosperity in the past 25 years, Lee says, flourishing in the new era under One Country, Two Systems alongside the Greater Bay area development.
"The colossal celebration events are also aimed to showcase to the world our eagerness and readiness to embark on further development, as we invite international professionals to join innovative technology meetings and financial forums," Lee said.
"Hong Kong has changed from destruction to construction, as we returned to stability and now embrace to flourish under the implementation of National Security Law."
The Hong Kong Jockey Club also donated HK$630 million to mark the 25th anniversary of HKSAR.
Chairman of the club Philip Chen Nan-lok said it is delighted to show support to the city's growth and development with their strong commitment to Hong Kong.
The funding will be used to support five key areas among celebration events including arts and culture, sports, support to the underprivileged, sustainability and international conferences.
This year, both local and overseas organizations are encouraged to organize activities celebrating Hong Kong's 25th anniversary, providing more opportunities for public participation and enriching the festive atmosphere. The events should be non-profit, and organizations can apply for accreditation online and their event will be put onto the events calendar.
Details of other celebrations can be found on the HKSAR 25th anniversary official website: https://www.hksar25.gov.hk/tc/index.html
