MACAU: Lai Ka-ying – the first astronaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region – and her Chinese mainland colleagues on the Shenzhou XXIII mission will soon engage in a rare live dialogue from space with students in the Hong Kong and Macao SARs.
According to a HKSAR government spokesman on Saturday, the occasion will give students the chance to watch live science experiments performed by Lai and her colleagues, Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan, who are currently aboard the Tiangong Space Station, promote young people’s aspirations, cultivate their patriotism, and strengthen their national identity.
“It aims to vividly showcase the unique environment of space and the allure of space science and technology to the young people of Hong Kong and Macao,” the spokesman said.
The “Tiangong Class” Hong Kong and Macao Designated Session, jointly organised by the Hong Kong and Macao SAR governments and the China Manned Space Agency, will include an experts’ lecture, an in-orbit demonstration and a student question-and-answer session.
Hong Kong’s Education Bureau will arrange for teachers and students in primary and secondary schools to watch the live broadcast on campuses on the day of the event.
“China’s manned space programme continues to achieve significant successes. As a national-level space laboratory, the Chinese Space Station not only serves as a vital platform for conducting research in space science, space technology and space applications, but also provides valuable educational resources for young people to learn about cutting-edge technologies, explore the unknown and study science,” the spokesman said.
“The ‘Tiangong Class’ Hong Kong and Macao Designated Session builds a bridge for learning and exploration connecting Earth and space, and guiding young people in Hong Kong and Macao in gaining a deeper understanding of the remarkable achievements of the country’s manned space development.”
The spokesman said the Macao SAR’s Education and Youth Development Bureau will also organise a delegation of teachers and students from Macao to take part in the “Tiangong Class” in Hong Kong.
“By jointly participating in this national-level science popularisation and patriotic education activity, students from Hong Kong and Macao can experience their connections with the nation’s scientific and technological development, ignite their passion for science, and cultivate a sense of patriotism,” the spokesman said.
On the day of the event, a live online broadcast of the activity will be arranged on the Information Services Department’s website (webcast.info.gov.hk), the news.gov.hk Facebook page, and the “A Shared Cosmic Vision for National Rejuvenation” thematic website (www.itib.gov.hk/zh-hk/payloadexpert).
Radio Television Hong Kong and other local television stations will also make live broadcasts. - China Daily/ANN
