Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man told the media after the opening ceremony of the Autumn Book Culture Festival at the Tap Seac Multisports Pavilion on Saturday that in order to further boost the city’s “lively atmosphere” and attract more tourists to Macau, apart from performances on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, the bureau is planning to hold concerts in Sai Van Lake Square on Christmas Eve and the evening of Christmas Day.
Leong said that the preparatory work was being carried out, adding she expected 1,000 people to be allowed to watch each show.
Leong also said she believed that Friday’s announcement of the government’s “5+3” COVID-19 quarantine easing policy will have a “positive effect” on inviting mainland and Hong Kong performers to Macau.
World Heritage monitoring centre
Referring to the status of the setting-up of a monitoring centre for Macau’s UNESCO World Heritage, Leong said that the relevant work, including the setting up of the required facilities, had already been prepared and that the relevant details were slated to be revealed this week, adding that the monitoring targets will comprise 22 buildings and eight squares in Macau’s historic district.
Regarding the progress of converting the erstwhile Hotel Estoril into the city’s new Central Library, Leong noted that the Dutch team, which had won the government’ public tender for the design, had started the final design work together with the local team.
Leong also said she hoped that the design plans would be completed next year after which the bidding for the construction project could start.
Autumn Book Culture Festival kicks off
Meanwhile, this year’s Autumn Book Culture Festival kicked off on Saturday at the Tap Seac Multisports Pavilion, which runs daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. until this coming Sunday.
During the nine-day book fair, which is organised by the Macau Publications Association in conjunction with the Sports Bureau (ID), Macao Library & Information Management Association and Plaza Cultural Macau, a number of book launches, book sharing and academic lectures will be held, according to the organisers.
A Macau Publications Association representative said in a speech during the kick-off ceremony on Saturday that this year’s book fair features tens of thousands of the latest publications, more than 50 exhibitors, and dozens of new book launches and academic lectures, adding that books from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the mainland are for sale in this year’s expo accounting for more than 70 percent of all exhibits, enabling readers who cannot go to Hong Kong due to the COVID-19 pandemic to search for their “treasures”.
The representative noted that major book fairs are becoming more and more popular with parents and readers, pointing out that at the International Book Fair held earlier this year in Hong Kong, the sales volume of Macau exhibition stalls increased by more than 10 percent compared to the previous year. He said that despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, from an optimistic point of view, with more people staying at home it was also a good time for parents and their kids to read.
The organisers noted that a 15-percent discount will be offered for any book purchase, and as much as a 40-percent discount for some books recommended by the fair.
Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man talks to reporters after the kick-off ceremony of the Autumn Book Culture Festival at the Tap Seac Multisports Pavilion on Saturday. – Photo: Yuki Lei
