The first festival celebrating the arts and culture of China and the Portuguese-speaking world side by side, which opens in Macao next month, will have five highlights, the Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau has announced.

The bureau issued a written statement saying the highlights are a film festival, a gala performance, an exhibition illustrating the official records of Macao from the period of the Qing Dynasty, an exhibition of modern art and a forum on culture, which will encompass excursions and seminars.

The celebration is officially entitled Encounter in Macao – Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

It will be another manifestation of the function of Macao as a bridge between China and the Portuguese-speaking world, the Cultural Affairs Bureau says.