HK launches TV ad with patriotic song on China's national day

Minute-long ad with Cantonese song Our Home part of city's national education drive

- Magdalene Fung

HONG KONG – The Hong Kong government has launched a TV advertisement featuring a new patriotic song called Our Home, doubling down on its efforts to promote national education in the city.

The minute-long ad, which started broadcasting on local television channels on China's national day on Oct 1, is the latest in a series of patriotic education initiatives launched in recent months.

The music video depicts scenes of China's science and technology achievements, Hong Kong's recent wins at the Olympic Games and heart-warming slice-of-life moments in the city. These are set against a Cantonese song performed by veteran singer-turned-politician Cally Kwong, an elected Hong Kong delegate to China's legislature, the National People's Congress.

"We hope (the ad) can reach people across different walks of life and age groups in society, and subtly instil in them a stronger feeling of 'Love our country, Love Hong Kong, Love our community"" said Ms Starry Lee, convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education, which coordinated the ad's launch.

The group - a dedicated team set up by the government in April to lead Hong Kong's efforts to improve its people's sense of national belonging and knowledge of China's history, culture and current affairs is behind some of the city's patriotic education initiatives.

National education has been a top priority for Chief Executive John Lee since he took office in July 2022, charged with leading a city left socially divided after years of upheaval following 2019's antigovernment protests, the imposition of a national security law and the Covid-19 pandemic.