The 3rd “Encounter in Macao – Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (PSCs)” will be held from next month to December this year, the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) said in a statement yesterday.
According to the statement, the festival features six highlights, such as the Lusofonia Festival, the Traditional Music and Dance Performance in the Community, the China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Film Festival, the Annual Arts Exhibition between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, The Belt and Road Cultural Talk Series – Samba and Dance, and the Taipa Houses 100th Anniversary Activities.
The statement said that the festival not only showcases the diverse cultures of China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, but also aims to implement and deepen the establishment of Macau as a “Cultural Exchange Centre between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, offering residents and tourists a unique Sino-Portuguese cultural experience.
The statement said that the “Lusofonia Festival” will be integrated in this year’s “Arts and Cultural Festival between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries”, allowing the public to participate in the activities under the theme of customs and culture from Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, enriching their cultural experience and enhancing the effect of the festival. The statement pointed out that over the three days of the Festival, booths of Macau’s Portuguese-speaking communities from 10 countries and regions, namely Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Goa, Damão and Diu, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, East Timor, and the Macanese community, will be set up, introducing their countries or regions’ traditional music, arts and crafts, traditional costumes, culinary and tourist information, which allows the public to experience the long-standing culture and festival traditions of different regions.
Moreover, the statement said that the “China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Film Festival”, themed “The Gourmets of Cinema”, features 30 films from China and Portuguese-speaking countries, letting residents and tourists alike discover Macau.
Meanwhile, the statement also pointed out that in order to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Taipa Houses, the bureau will hold a series of themed activities, including “Guided Tours at Taipa Houses” and “Paper Cut Light Box DIY Workshop”, allowing the public to learn about the distinctive features of the Taipa Houses as well as their historical stories and surrounding communities from different perspectives. The statement underlined that the participants of the guided tours can receive a Taipa Houses shaped three-dimensional memo pad as a souvenir.
According to the statement, the bureau pledged to strictly follow the government’s COVID-19 prevention and control guidelines and implement appropriate measures for cultural activities. All participants must wear facemasks, get their temperature checked, present a valid Macao Health Code of the day, and comply with crowd control measures on site.
For more information about the event, people can visit www.icm.gov.mo/FCP.
The Remains #1 illustrated by Karen Yung from Macau. The oil canvass will be displayed during the festival. Photo: Cultural Affairs Bureau
