The opening ceremony of the 9th Cultural Week of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries was held at the Tromba Rija restaurant in Macau Tower on October 17. The Cultural Week isjointly organised by the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), and was co-organised by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau and the Macao Government Tourism Office.
The Cultural Week is supported by several other organisations, including IPOR – the Portuguese Institute of the Orient; the Angola-Macau Association; Association Casa do Brasil Macau; the Macau-Cape Verde Friendship Association; the Association of Cultural Entertainment of Goa, Damão and Diu; the Association of the Guineans, Natural and Friends of the Guinea-Bissau; the Mozambique Friends’ Association; the Macanese Association; Casa de Portugal Macau; the Association of São Toméan and Friends of São Tomé and Príncipe-Macau; and the Macau-Timor Friendship Association.
Several officials attended the opening ceremony. They included: Mr Leong Vai Tac, the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR; Mr Yuan Hengge, Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Ms Xu Yingzhen, Secretary-General of the Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao; and Ms Chen Xing, Deputy Director General of the Economic Affairs Department and Head of the Commercial Office of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR.
Ms Xu delivered a speech at the opening ceremony, an event which was also attended by the ambassadors to China from several Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The event featured folk arts performances by groups from, respectively, the Zhuang ethnic group from Guangxi province in mainland China; nine Portuguese-speaking countries; and from Macao. Guests were also invited to taste the speciality cuisines of Portuguese-speaking Countries.
This year’s edition of the Cultural Week has promoted the theme of the “Cultural Belt and Road” as part of Macao’s support for the country’s “Belt and Road” initiative. The Cultural Week also highlights Macao’s platform role in strengthening cultural ties between mainland China, Macao and Portuguese-speaking Countries.
Chinese culture and the respective cultures of Portuguese-speaking Countries mingle in the city of Macao, a place with unique appeal as a tourism destination. Folk dance and singing groups from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, and East Timor, as well as from Goa, Damão and Diu in India were invited to perform at the Cultural Week, which was also featuring a total of 150 local performers, artists, chefs, craftsmen and actors.
The Cultural Week – held from October 14 to 22 – covers five main activities: 1. World of Flavours, exploring the gastronomy of the Portuguese-speaking Countries; 2. The Handicraft and Art Fair of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; 3. the Portuguese-speaking Countries’ Theatre Festival; 4. Music and Dance Performances from China and Portuguese-speaking Countries; and 5. Contemporary Art Exhibitions with work from Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Macao, and an exhibition of animation from Brazil.
For the first time, artisans taking part in this year’s Cultural Week had the chance to have their artefacts displayed at, respectively, the Portuguese-speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao) – PLPEX and the Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (MIF), thus strengthening Macao’s role as a cultural exchange platform between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The Cultural Week of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries was established in 2008. This major annual event, featuring diverse cultural elements and performances, has highlighted Macao’s role as a meeting and mixing point for Chinese culture, and cultures from Portuguese-speaking Countries.
The Cultural Week highlights the importance attached by Forum Macao to cultural exchanges between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries and aims to deepen Macao’s role as a platform between China and those countries. To date, eight editions of this cultural event have been held, testifying to Macao’s role as a platform for cultural exchange between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Permanent Secretariat of Forum Macao will continue to make every effort to support and promote cultural cooperation and activities in order to strengthen Macao’s role as a platform for cultural exchanges and as a link between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries.
Acknowledgements
Cultural Affairs Bureau
Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau
Macao Government Tourism Office
IPOR – Portuguese Institute of the Orient
Angola-Macau Association
Association Macau ‘Casa do Brasil’
Macau-Cape Verde Friendship Association
Association of Cultural Entertainment of Goa, Damão and Diu
Association of the Guineans, Natural and Friends of the Guinea-Bissau
Mozambique Friends’ Association
Macanese Association
Macau ‘Casa de Portugal’
Association of São Toméan and Friends of São Tomé and Príncipe-Macau
Macau-Timor Friendship Association
