City gets a taste of liberty and equality

Rare masterpieces of great value, which capture one of the most important events in world history, are on display for the first time in Hong Kong

Hongkongers should be thankful to the French for the freedom and equality they enjoy today, according to Terence Cheung Yui-sum, assistant curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History.

'The French revolution is [one of] the most important events in world history. The value and idea of liberty and equality that are widely accepted in present-day Hong Kong originated from the 'enlightenment period' and were further brought forward by the revolutionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries,' he said.

This year will be the 220th anniversary of the French revolution and, to educate the Hong Kong public about it, the Hong Kong Museum of History is hosting an exhibition from December 17 until March 16 entitled The French Revolutions. Jointly organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), and the City of Paris Department of Culture, there will be collections from the Musee Carnavalet Histoire de Paris and the Bibliotheque Historique de la Ville de Paris. Many of these works of art have never been exhibited outside of France.

Many people would struggle to explain the finer details of the French revolution. This exhibition can be an enjoyable way to learn or simply update your knowledge about it.

The French revolution happened from 1789 to 1799. France experienced several revolutions in the 18th and 19th centuries but this was by far the most influential and significant. The French National Assembly introduced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789, which stated the basic rights all citizens should be granted.

During these 10 years the citizens of Paris overturned the monarchy and introduced new concepts of liberty and equality for all.