Strongly Condemn the HKSAR Gov's Unjust Decision to Abandon the Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Strongly Condemn the HKSAR Gov's Unjust Decision to Abandon the Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Why this petition matters
Strongly Condemn the HKSAR Gov's Unjust Decision to Abandon the Hong Kong Heritage Museum
強烈譴責港府濫殺香港文化博物館
We are a group of scholars, artists, organisations and individuals who are deeply concerned with the artistic and cultural heritage of Hong Kong. We hereby express our firm condemnation of the Hong Kong government's decision to abandon the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. This decision is bound to result in the loss of a substantial amount of crucial archives and artworks related to Hong Kong's culture, posing a severe threat to the preservation of our cultural heritage.
The Hong Kong Heritage Museum has played an invaluable role in safeguarding and showcasing the diverse cultural legacies that define our community. The potential closure of the museum and the dispersal of its collections to other institutions are not only heart-wrenching but also a profound injustice to the citizens of Hong Kong, who deserve the right to access their own cultural history.
We firmly believe that the decision to abandon the Heritage Museum is unwise. If there is a genuine need for a new museum to celebrate China's achievements, we urge the Hong Kong government to consider an alternative location that does not compromise the integrity of existing cultural institutions.
In particular, the proposal to use the Science Museum for this purpose is certain to stir unnecessary controversy. The Science Museum has been a cornerstone of education and exploration for the citizens of Hong Kong, and relocating it without careful consideration not only undermines the historical significance of the institution but also diminishes its contributions to the community. While the construction of a new museum celebrating China's achievements may be needed, it should not come at the cost of dismantling existing cultural institutions.
We strongly urge the Hong Kong government to reconsider its decision, consult with the arts and cultural community in a transparent manner, and find an alternative location for the proposed museum. We believe that a responsible and inclusive approach is essential to maintaining the vitality and distinctiveness of Hong Kong's cultural landscape.
Hong Kong's cultural heritage is a shared asset of its citizens, and any decision that affects it should be made with cautious, careful consideration, and respect for Hong Kong's core values.
There is evidence that the recent cultural destruction that has occurred in Hong Kong under the guise of national security, such as the arbitrary destruction of public library books, the confiscation of privately owned public sculpture that have stood in Hong Kong for decades, and the cancellation of the Heritage Museum, are examples of top-down structural ideological transformation. We condemn this sudden and shocking cultural destruction terrorism in the strongest terms and hold accountable those officials who have damaged Hong Kong's culture and damaged Hong Kong's international reputation. We urge the relevant authorities to immediately stop all cultural destruction and ideological transformation terrorism in Hong Kong, otherwise they will bear the consequences.
我們是一群香港學者、藝術家、文化組織及市民，謹此對香港政府濫殺香港文化博物館的決定表達堅定的譴責。這項決定必然導致大量關乎香港文化的重要檔案和藝術品被丟失，對保存香港文化遺產構成嚴重威脅。
香港文化博物館一直在維護和展示我們社區多元文化遺產方面發揮著不可估量的作用。其潛在的關閉以及其藏品的散佈至其他機構，不僅讓人感到痛心，也是對廣大市民的一種不公，他們應該有權利接觸自己的文化和歷史。
我們堅信廢棄文化博物館的決定是不明智的，如果真的需要一座新的博物館來慶祝中國的成就，我們敦促香港政府考慮一個不損害既有文化機構完整性的替代地點。
特別是將科學館用於此目的的提議必定引起不必要的爭端，科學館一直是香港市民教育和探索的基石，未經慎重考慮即遷移它，不僅損害了這個機構的歷史意義，還對社區的貢獻作出影響。若香港政府非要興建一座慶祝中國成就的新博物館不可，亦不應以破壞既有文化機構作為代價。
我們強烈呼籲香港政府重新考慮其決定，與藝術和文化界進行透明的諮詢，並尋找新博物館的替代地點。我們相信，負責任且具包容性的方法對於維護香港文化景觀的活力和特色至為重要。
香港的文化遺產是屬於其市民的共同資產，任何影響它的決定都應該謹慎、深思熟慮，並且要尊重香港人的核心價值。有證據顯示近期各種在香港以國安之名發生的文化破壞行為，例如隨意把公共圖書館書籍銷毁、破壞在香港屹立數十年的私人公共雕塑、取消文化博物館等屬由上而下的社會結構性思想改造，我們對這種突如其來令人倒抽一口涼氣的文化破壞恐怖活動，給予最嚴厲的譴責並且追究那些破壞香港文化令香港國際聲譽受損的官員。在此勸喻有關當局應立即懸崖勒馬，立即停止所有香港文化破壞思想改造恐怖活動，否則後果自負。
Signed by/聯署:
Individuals:
Dr. Kacey Wong, Artist and Former Assistant Professor of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Loretta Lau, Artist and Founder of NGO DEI
Ricker Choi, Artist
Jens Galschiøt, Artist and Founder of Art In Defence Of Humanism
Andrew Chan, Founder and former Convenor of Societas Linguistica Hongkongensis (SLHK).
Alric Lee, Cultural Worker
Vawongsir, Artist
Jeffrey Choy, Artist
阿塗 AhTo, Artist
Simon Cheng, Founder of Hongkongers in Britain
Clara Cheung, Former Hong Kong District Councillor
N. To, Cultural Worker
Catherine Li, Artist
Anna Kwok 郭鳳儀, Executive Director at Hong Kong Democracy Council
Kenneth YEUNG, PhD researcher of LCSP, Université de Paris
梁嘉麗, Chief Editor of Photon Media
淋漓淋浪 Lumli Lumlong, Artist
Alex Woo, Cultural Worker
M. Lee, Scholar
Ray Wong, Founder of Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.
Daniel Tsz Kin Kwok, Former Hong Kong District Councillor and Founder of The Hong Kong Scots
Lok Kan CHEUNG, Artist
Rex Lee, Founder of HKersUnited and Activist
Ming Lo, Artist
Carmen Lau, Former Hong Kong District Councillor and Co-founder of Hong Kong March
Wilber Lee, Former District councillor of Yuen Long District
Christine Chu, Activist
Hon Pong YAU, Former Hong Kong District Councillor
Organisations:
我地 NGO DEI
Lady Liberty Hong Kong
New Yorkers Supporting Hong Kong
Hongkongers in Britain
The Hong Kong Scots
Scottish Hongkongers
Finnish Hongkongers
Hong Kong Committee in Norway
AfricaHongKongFrance (AHKF)
Hong Kong XR Museum
Le Comité pour la Liberté à Hong-Kong
Hong Kong Democracy Council
HKersUnited
Blossom Community HK CIC
Power to Hongkongers 香港思源
Hong Kongers in San Francisco Bay Area
We The Hongkongers
Students for Hong Kong
Northern California Hong Kong Club
Lion Rock Cafe
Learn more:
RFA: 港科學館被迫遷、文化博物館被「殺館」 學者批「政治先行」