Calls Grow for Hong Kong War and Colonial Museums
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 9 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A proposal in Hong Kong is urging the creation of a dedicated World War II museum and a separate colonial history museum, each paired with research centres, as part of the city’s first five-year plan . The authors say fixed institutions are needed to turn fragmented remembrance into sustained public education, academic research and international dialogue on war, colonialism and peace .
Key Points
- The proposal links the museums to the national “15th Five-Year Plan” emphasis on revolutionary relic protection and patriotic education, positioning Hong Kong within broader national development goals .
- It cites 257 registered anti-war memorial museums and more than 3,000 revolutionary memorial halls nationwide, alongside 203 World War II museums globally .
- Suggested models include Beijing’s Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Nanjing’s massacre memorial hall, and Toronto’s Asia Pacific Peace Museum .
- The envisioned World War II museum would cover Hong Kong and wider Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam and the United States .
- The colonial history museum would examine British, French, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese imperial rule, from Indigenous destruction in the Americas to African slavery and Asian exploitation .
Why It Matters
The proposal presents Hong Kong as both a witness to war and a former colony, giving it a distinctive platform to shape historical memory and international peace education . It also reflects concern that younger generations are less engaged with wartime remembrance, and argues digital, multimedia and immersive exhibits could rebuild that connection .