Melco Resorts & Entertainment and the Women’s General Association of Macau (known as Fu Luen, its short name in Cantonese) launched an 11-school tour called “Invisible Bullying” on Wednesday, using campus theatre to raise awareness of less visible forms of school bullying and promote mental wellness among young people, according to a Melco statement.
The premiere of Invisible Bullying, held at Fu Luen School, was attended by about 250 teachers and students and marked the start of the school theatre tour under the sixth-year “Feel Better Mental Wellness Programme”, the statement said.
The production was jointly developed by Melco and the Women’s Association after gathering views and experiences from young people in the local community, the statement said, adding that it portrays psychological experiences of victims, bystanders and bullies, focusing on bullying behaviours that can be overlooked in everyday school life.
Through the theatre production, the organisers aim to help students identify bullying, understand its psychological effects and learn appropriate ways to seek assistance, the statement said, noting that the production also highlights the potential long-term psychological impact of bullying and promotes a more inclusive and respectful school environment.
At the premiere, Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho Yau Lung and Women’s Association Chairwoman Lau Kam Ling reviewed the programme’s work in providing mental health support services, the statement said, noting that since its launch in 2021, the programme has benefited close to 7,000 participants through some 1,500 activities. They said the theatre format could help students better understand the harm caused by bullying, recognise potential risks and learn safe and practical self-protection and help-seeking methods, the statement underlined.
This year’s “Feel Better Mental Wellness Programme” comprises five projects, including at least 200 individual psychological support sessions, 12 mental health promotion workshops, six parenting workshops and four film-sharing sessions, according to the statement.
The Invisible Bullying school theatre tour is the programme’s key focus project this year, with 11 performances planned at the participating schools, the statement said, adding that the initiative aims to bring mental health education directly to students while providing different forms of mental wellness resources for local residents.
This handout photo provided by Melco Resorts & Entertainment on Wednesday shows Melco Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho Yau Lung addressing the premiere of Invisible Bullying held in Fu Luen School’s theatre.
