60,000 students watch Victory Day; DSEDJ calls it patriotic lesson

Yesterday, to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II, the government and community groups watched a live broadcast of the ceremony from Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

During the event, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong urged local youth to study diligently and connect their personal growth to national development.

Among the various organizations that arranged for members of the public to watch the live broadcast of China’s Victory Day military parade, local tertiary education institutions and non-higher education schools coordinated nearly 60,000 students to view the commemorative ceremony on their respective campuses.

Alongside a live viewing event organized by the local government, these efforts collectively commemorated the history of the War of Resistance and promoted the indomitable national spirit and the great legacy of that struggle.

Kong Chi Meng, director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), described the event as the “first lesson” for students in the new academic year, serving as a “vivid practice of patriotic education.”

He emphasized that Macau’s history is deeply integrated into the local curriculum, noting, “Throughout every moment of the War of Resistance, we never stood idly by, consistently leveraging Macau’s unique position and role.”

He added that this event serves as an excellent, living example of patriotic education for students.

Kong said that students can gain important historical perspectives through these activities. To enhance patriotic education by integrating the history of the War of Resistance, the history curriculum has included content related to the 80th anniversary of the war, emphasizing Macau’s role to make historical education more relevant to students.

He also mentioned the recent establishment of the first Patriotic Education Base for Hong Kong and Macau Youth at the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Memorial Hall in Beijing.

The official indicated that a series of follow-up activities will be organized around this base, including an award ceremony for an essay contest themed on the War of Resistance and collaborations with other educational resources in Beijing.

According to him, efforts will also be made to advance the development of revolutionary education routes. Funding programs will guide schools in organizing related activities, including 10 War of Resistance-themed routes to various provinces and cities that were previously launched. In the new academic year, new routes will be introduced in collaboration with the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, with the first group expected to be organized in December, featuring activities at the museum alongside Hong Kong students.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in China’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II, a large-scale memorial event was held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing yesterday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, attendees included foreign leaders, high-level representatives from various countries, heads of international organizations, former political figures, ambassadors, military attachés, and representatives of international organizations in China, as well as those who contributed to China’s victory in the War of Resistance and their surviving family members.

Key Chinese officials present included members of the Political Bureau and Secretariat of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, leaders from the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the Central Military Commission, and the Chief Executives of the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions.

In response to President Xi Jinping’s attendance and important speech at the commemorative ceremony, Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai stated that all Macau residents will remember history, honor the martyrs, and cherish the hard-won stability of the present.

“In the face of unprecedented global changes – changes not seen in a century – Macau compatriots must draw guidance from the spirit of the War of Resistance, steadfastly uphold patriotism and love for Macau, and strive forward on the new path that has been laid out,” he urged.

He further called on the entire community to “contribute Macau’s strength to national development, civilizational exchange, and world peace, in an effort to write new chapters in Macau’s practice of the ‘One country, two systems’ principle.