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Macao invites public to join World Heritage listing-anniversary carnival

2020/7/15 9:20:26   source:CGTN

Festivity is in the air in Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the city gears up for the 15th anniversary of the inscription of the Historic Centre of Macao on the World Heritage List.

The Historic Centre of Macao was added to the list on July 15, 2005, becoming China's 31st World Heritage site.

A total of 28 activities will be held this month, including a thematic carnival, "World Heritage Open Day," "Heritage City Tours - Guided Tours and Illustration Workshop," "Fun Sharing Cultural Heritage" lectures, a story-writing competition and a WeChat game, to encourage residents and visitors to join in on the fun.

The organizers have implemented a raft of measures in line with the anti-pandemic guidelines of the Health Bureau (SSM), such as face masks required and social distancing, as well as strengthening cleaning and sanitization at the venue, to ensure the participants' health and safety amid COVID-19 pandemic.

'All are welcome to join'

Macao's Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) launched a carnival over the weekend to celebrate the city's cultural legacy at the "World Heritage Youth Education Base," which comprises the Mandarin's House and Largo do Lilau.

The opening ceremony was held on Saturday morning at the Mandarin's House, former residence of Zheng Guanying, a philosopher and reformist in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It now acts as an educational base for Macao's teenagers on world heritage.

According to the bureau, the event, supported by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and a host of cultural heritage associations, is free to the public and "all are welcome to join."

The two-day festival featured a rich variety of activities, such as special game booths, thematic exhibitions, workshops, sale of cultural and creative products, various performances and special photography spots, aiming to provide information about the Historic Centre of Macao and to promote local creativity "in an interactive and interesting way."

"It's very good because people can make different kinds of activities here or games and through the games and activities, we can find different things, different places in Macao," said resident Isabel Afonso in an interview with Chinese broadcaster CCTV.

It also presented traditional artistic programs, including a lion dance, Cantonese opera performances and Portuguese folk dance, as well as thematic exhibition boards about the World Heritage site, allowing the public to gain a better understanding of the city's cultural heritage and efforts to protect it.

Charming historic center

In addition to the festival, the bureau will hold a number of activities related to this month's "World Heritage Open Day," disseminating facts about the Historic Centre of Macao and offering participants unique visual experiences.

The IC is organizing five special visits to World Heritage resorts that are rarely open to the public, allowing participants to enjoy a Portuguese-style afternoon tea at the Sir Robert Ho Tung Library, revel in the panoramic view of the Ruins of St Paul's, and explore the inner hall and upper floor gallery of Senado Library.

Residents and tourists can also take part in "Heritage City Tours" consisting of guided trips and illustration workshops, which feature five itineraries specially designed and recommended by local cultural and tourism authorities.

A story-writing competition titled "Memorable Moments of World Heritage" and "Fun Sharing Cultural Heritage" lectures will be held across local schools and districts.

The upcoming celebratory events also include a WeChat game named "I am a Cultural Heritage Expert," which runs through July 31 and offers participants a chance to win prizes with their knowledge of cultural heritage.

"Macao people grow up with the cultural heritage in their daily life. And we can look at the heritage continuously from a fresh perspective. Although they are so common in our life, we can also see different world heritage resorts and have different experiences," said Mok Ian Ian, director of the local Cultural Affairs Bureau.

"Then we learned a concept from the activities – 'working together to protect and share cultural heritage'."

The Historic Center of Macao consists of more than 20 locations, such as A-Ma Temple, the Ruins of St. Paul and the Mandarin's House.

Macao has always attached great importance to cultural heritage promotion and protection. In 2017, the IC established an inventory of 15 items in order to identify and recognize Macao's intangible cultural heritage and to better safeguard the traditions of local communities. 

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