The Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) held a press conference yesterday at its headquarters on Avenida de D. João to announce a raft of “May Fourth”* Youth Day commemorative activities that will run through June.
DSEDJ Director Kong Chi Meng said in a speech that to commemorate the 107th anniversary of Youth Day, the bureau – in collaboration with the Preparatory Committee for the Series of Commemorative Activities for Youth Day (which comprises 83 youth groups) –will launch a comprehensive programme of events running through June.
Kong noted that these activities aim to promote the spirit of “patriotism, progress, democracy, and science” while fostering a sense of mission and responsibility among young people.
According to a DSEDJ statement, a flag-raising ceremony will be held next Monday (Youth Day) at the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) Multisport Pavilion, with around 2,000 participants registered to attend. The ceremony will be conducted by a flag-raising team composed of students from three higher education institutions and 40 schools in Macau. The programme will also include a rendition of the national anthem by a choir of primary and secondary school students, alongside dance and martial arts performances.
Tang Man Kei, president of the committee, said in a speech that the series of commemorations will feature a variety of formats, including forums, study tours, exchanges, historical tours across Macau, online quiz games, art creation competitions, and campus lectures. Kong added that total participation is expected to exceed 6,000 people.
On the morning of May 4, a forum will be held at the Macau Science Centre in Nape, where experts and scholars will share insights on topics such as the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan and the legacy of the May Fourth spirit. Tang noted that this year also marks the launch of the inaugural “May Fourth” youth patriotic tour, which will see Macau youngsters visit patriotic education bases in Beijing and Shandong for observation and exchange.
Furthermore, exchange tours in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) will also be organised. Tang said that these initiatives are designed to enable young locals to witness the nation’s innovative development and ignite their enthusiasm to engage in national construction efforts.
*The May Fourth Movement was a massive intellectual and sociopolitical upheaval in China that began on May 4, 1919. It is often cited as the birth of modern Chinese nationalism and was sparked by the Treaty of Versailles. After World War I, Chinese citizens expected the Allied powers to return German-occupied Qingdao in Shandong Province to China. Instead, the Treaty of Versailles awarded Qingdao to Japan. This perceived betrayal by the West and the weakness of the Chinese government triggered an explosion of student-led protests in Beijing. While it started as a diplomatic protest, it evolved into a broader cultural shift known as the New Culture Movement. It also resulted in anti-imperialist struggle, i.e., a push for national sovereignty and an end to foreign dominance. – Gemini, MPD
Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Director Kong Chi Meng (centre), Preparatory Committee for the Series of Commemorative Activities for “May Fourth” Youth Day President Tang Man Kei (second from left) and other representatives look on during yesterday’s press conference at the bureau on Avenida de D. João. – Photo: Armindo Neves
