Kinling Lo
Friday, September 11, 2015
The National Day fireworks display over Victoria Harbour will contain a 36-second reminder of World War II, which ended 70 years ago.
Fireworks designer Wilson Mao Wai-shing said the sound of war has never previously been heard in a fireworks display. "Except for during the war years, I believe the sound of war was never heard along Victoria Harbour," the Pyromagic Multi-media Productions chief executive said.
The scene will start with a siren sounding the alarm and then the intensive sounds of bombing. It will end with a colorful fireworks display signifying Hong Kong was free again after three years and eight months of Japanese occupation.
"It will be a good opportunity for those who have not experienced the war to feel the atmosphere in just 36 seconds," Mao said.
He said the distinct contrast between war and peace could be fully presented through a sound and fireworks effect. It would also tell the public how important it is to cherish peace.
The war is one of the nine scenes of the 23-minute show, which will cost HK$8 million, more than previous years due to inflation.
The cost will be fully covered by CT Environmental Group, a waste treatment and environmental inspection services company from Guangdong. It is the first time the group has sponsored the National Day fireworks display, with the Home Affairs Department the main organizer.
Mao said the most difficult challenge this year was to make ring images in the first scene visible to audiences on both sides of the harbor.
He said that rings can be seen only from certain angles while others may see only a line. The rings will be shot into the sky from various points to widen visibility.
The National Day fireworks display was canceled last year as the government believed the Occupy movement would block the public's access to the harborfront.
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