PASSING the torch of democracy to the younger generation will be the theme of tonight's candlelight vigil in Victoria Park to commemorate the June 4 massacre.
Cheung Man-kwong of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China said children would help to light a torch symbolising democracy, which would be held by alliance chairman Szeto Wah.
'We would like to convey the message of passing on the torch of democracy from the older generation to the younger one,' he said.
The event will start at 8 o'clock tonight.
Although renovation work in Victoria Park means the vigil this year will be confined to three football pitches and one handball pitch, Mr Szeto said the venue could still accommodate up to 50,000 people.
As it has done for the past seven years, the University of Hong Kong conducted a survey last week on public opinion on the 1989 crackdown. Thirty-six per cent of those 1,103 polled thought the Beijing students did the right thing on June 4, a drop of nine per cent on last year. However 48 per cent said it was 'hard to say' whether the uprising was right or wrong, the highest percentage ever recorded for this answer. Sixteen per cent thought the students were wrong.
