The Government has decided to make the Clean Hong Kong Day an annual event to promote the values manifested in last year's SARS crisis. This year it will fall on June 27, Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Ho says.

A suitable venue at the Hong Kong Park has also been identified for setting up a memorial site, and a SARS exhibition is being planned.

The Advisory Committee on the Promotion of the Fighting Spirit against SARS announced today the recommendations on activities and programmes to promote the spirit and values shown by the whole community in the SARS fight. For details of the report, click here.

The advisory committee has suggested setting the last Sunday in June every year as a day for city-wide activities.

Dr Ho anticipated more than 5,000 people from different sectors will partake in the event on June 27.

He hoped the activity will remind people of the importance of a hygienic living environment in preventing diseases and the need for public involvement in keeping the city clean.

HK Park a venue for memorial site

The advisory committee has also suggested setting up a memorial site to commemorate and promote the values manifested in the SARS crisis. A site in Hong Kong Park has been designated as the venue, and suggestions on the name are welcome.

Dr Ho said the Government will work with the community on building the memorial site. With the professional assistance of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Kowloon Rotary Club will organise an open design competition.

The winning design will be adopted as the theme monument. Memorial bronze statues cast by the New Century Forum to commemorate several medical professionals who sacrificed their lives during the SARS outbreak will be placed in the memorial site.

The Leisure & Cultural Services Department is now liaising with Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences Society for a SARS exhibition at the museum.