SJM Resorts said in a statement on Wednesday that the two-day “The 5th Greater Bay Area Martial Arts Scholar Championship and The 1st Asia Pacific Chinese Wushu Cultural Festival” are slated to take place over the weekend.
The event, held at the Macau Tower Convention and Entertainment Centre, is title-sponsored by the integrated resort operator and co-organised with the Hong Kong Tai Chi Youth Charitable Foundation and the Macao Institute of Traditional Chinese Martial Arts.
The statement noted that over a hundred young athletes from Hong Kong and Macau will exchange martial arts techniques with their peers from the nine Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities. Health and wellness activities and martial arts demonstrations are to be featured.
The statement said that the “Greater Bay Area Martial Arts Scholar Championship” marks its fifth edition since 2018 and this year focuses on “National Fitness, National Well-being” and features complimentary seminars, interactive experiences and cultural performances.
Meanwhile, the statement said that there will also be themed activities at Grand Lisboa Palace in Cotai including Tai Chi Health & Wellness and Nan Quan classes. The resort’s participating restaurants will also be offering “wellness-focused dishes”, while organisers have also created a “Macau Cultural and Health City Walk” map that guides participants through Macau’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
SJM Managing Director and the event’s chairperson Daisy Ho Chiu-fung was quoted by the statement as saying: “Beyond its appeal as a spectator sport and its cultural significance, martial arts also play a key role in integrating “Tourism + Health,” attracting international enthusiasts and sport tourists to Macau”.
Ho was also quoted as saying: “The event is not just a competition but a collaborative effort between Hong Kong and Macau to promote national fitness and foster youth exchanges within the Greater Bay Area. The event brings together renowned martial arts masters from China and Japan, featuring captivating martial arts demonstrations such as Baduanjin and Tai Chi, attracting visitors from across regions to Macau for this grand occasion.”
Moreover, former world Tai Chi champion, Hong Kong Tai Chi Youth Charitable Foundation Chairperson and the event’s Organising Committee Executive Co-chairperson Li Fai was quoted as saying: “We always want to break the stereotype about martial arts – it’s not just about contests but a path to health and wellness”.
This image downloaded from the Grand Lisboa Palace website last night shows the integrated resort’s Jardim Secreto (“Secret Garden”).
