The 13th Cultural Week of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, organised by the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Macao), is to start in June 2021. Cultural Week activities will then extend into December 2021.

The Cultural Week was last year for the first time held in a hybrid format, i.e., including online and offline events, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s edition will continue using a hybrid format, in order to allow people from across the world to enjoy – via a number of different platforms – the rich and diverse traditions and culture stemming from Portuguese-speaking countries.

Since its establishment, the Cultural Week has actively promoted cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, highlighting Macao’s role as a platform. Such goal is echoed in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which mentions “expanding the scope” of Macao’s role as a China-Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform.

This year’s edition of the Cultural Week features new activities such as the Contest for Promotional Videos on Portuguese-speaking Countries, and exhibitions and workshops under the theme “Lusophone Polychromes”. Taking into account the risks posed by the pandemic, fresh online content – featuring diverse materials such as promotional videos on Portuguese-speaking Countries and on Chinese provinces – was added to this year’s Cultural Week, in order further to boost exchanges and cooperation between Mainland China, the Macao SAR, and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

One of the online activities included in this year’s Cultural Week is the Contest for Promotional Videos on Portuguese-speaking Countries. It is jointly organised by the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and the Macao Polytechnic Institute. The contest is for teams of students enrolled in higher education institutions in either Mainland China, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, or any Portuguese-speaking Country. Videos submitted for the contest will be subject to an online vote on September 1.

Offline activities featured in this year’s edition of the Cultural Week include exhibitions and workshops under the theme “Lusophone Polychromes”. These activities will take place from June 11 until the end of December, at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex. Exhibitions will feature work in various fields of art – from painting, to sculpture, photography, and installation – produced by famous artists, either based in Macao or from the Portuguese-speaking Countries. The goal is to showcase fully the unique advantages of Macao as a place where the various cultures of China and of Portuguese-speaking Countries can meet.

The first exhibition for this year’s Cultural Week is titled “News from the Forest”, and presents work by Portuguese artist Ana Jacinto Nunes. It will be held from June 11 to 27. 

A series of workshops on manufacturing traditional fashion accessories, making use of traditional handicraft techniques from Portuguese-speaking countries, will be held in tandem with the exhibitions, to showcase the cultural diversity of Portuguese-speaking Countries.