News

The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, met with the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Mr Liu Jieyi, and exchanged views with him on Macao’s external affairs and socio-economic development. In the meeting at Government House, Mr Chui said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in Macao had played an important role in fostering stable and prosperous development, managing the Special Administrative Region’s external affairs and in establishing contact with foreign countries. In response, Mr Li said the Ministry would make every effort to help Macao in foreign affairs matters and create a better international network. Visiting Macao after an absence of more than a decade, he said the city had changed tremendously and that he had learned from the Ministry that it had developed prosperously. Mr Chui said the Government would continue to co-operate with the country’s developments, be more vigilant in time of peace, make the most of development opportunities, strictly follow the principle of “One country, two systems” and strengthen the people’s patriotic sense. Officials who also attended the meeting were the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC in the Macao SAR Mr Hu Zhengyue, the Deputy Commissioner Mr Pan Yundong; the Secretary for Administration and Justice Ms Chan Hoi Fan, Chief-of-Office of the Chief Executive’s Office Ms O Lam, and the Director of Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Mr Fung Sio Weng.
…

Consumer Council conducted its fifth ‘Supermarket price survey’ in March on 17 March for the implementation of Section 2b), Article 10, Law 4/95/M of 12 June. Surveyed locations included supermarkets at Lam Mau, Patane and San Kio areas in Santo António Parish. The latest ‘Supermarket Price Survey’ is now available on Consumer Council’s website (www.consumer.gov.mo), and the ‘Supermarket Price Information Platform’ iPhone and Android apps. The survey is also available free of charge at the offices of Consumer Council, IACM’s Iao Hon and S. Domingos Markets, bookstores and libraries. Consumers may also access the resources through WAP channels on their mobile phones. With reference to the local six parishes and the number of supermarkets in each parish, the Council has divided over 100 supermarkets into 8 areas for price collection. The Council collects prices from these supermarkets for the provision of a more comprehensive database for consumers to check price discrepancies and make price comparisons according to their desired locations. For inquiry, please call 8988 9315.
…

A seminar was held in Zhongshan to study the planning of the Cuiheng New District and developments to adequately diversify the economy of Macao. Organised by Guangdong authorities and the Macao Polytechnic Institute, the seminar was attended by academics from Beijing, Guangzhou and Macao, and representatives of the Macao Government: they discussed issues on the framework agreement for the development of the Cuiheng New District in Zhongshan and the first meeting last month of the Taskforce for the Promotion of Zhongshan-Macao Co-operation. At the seminar, held on 10 March, the group discussed the positioning of the Guangdong-Macao co-operation display zone, measures to combine Zhongshan’s geographic advantages and experience in light industry with Macao’s “One country, two systems”, platform and management experience, and to bring more opportunities to small- and medium-sized enterprises and young people. In the long run, the governments should make best use of the country’s strategic development and the development of Guangdong and Macao. Representing the Macao Government at the seminar were the head of the committee for the strategic development of Guangdong and Macao, Consultant of the Chief Executive’s Office Mr Kou Chin Hung; and the deputy head of the committee, Mr Yang Daokuang.
…

In order to promote and pass on Macanese gastronomy, an intangible cultural heritage item, the Cultural Affairs Bureau publishes a revised edition of “The Cuisine of Macao From My Grandfather’s House” in Chinese version and a bilingual Portuguese-English version, allowing a broader range of readers to get to know Macao’s unique gastronomic techniques. In the beginning of the 16th century, during the Discoveries, the Portuguese sailed from Europe to the East, gradually combining ways of life, customs and dishes from different regions in Africa and Asia, from different peoples and different cultures, developing each place’s cuisine and largely enriching their original gastronomy. Macanese cuisine became an important gastronomic culture throughout hundreds of years, also being an historical product of the Portuguese maritime culture. The techniques of Macanese gastronomy were inscribed in the Macao’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012. Graça Pacheco Jorge, the book’s author, belongs to an ancient Macanese family and has spared no efforts to promote the Macanese gastronomy, continuing to organize and publicize related activities, including lectures, workshops and training courses, as well as participating in documentaries on local gastronomy produced in Portugal, Japan and Hong Kong. In 1992, the Macao Cultural Institute (now the Cultural Affairs Bureau) published a Portuguese edition of “The Cuisine of Macao From My Grandfather’s House”. After more than twenty years, Graça Pacheco Jorge revised the original recipes and added new dishes. In order to allow even more foreign readers to comprehend the unique Macanese culture as well as its life customs through its cuisine, the Cultural Affairs Bureau commissioned the book’s translation, now launching a version in Chinese and a bilingual Portuguese-English version. The Chinese version of “The Cuisine of Macao From My Grandfather’s House” is available for sale at MOP170 and the Portuguese-English bilingual version at MOP250 and MOP170 for the hardback and paperback editions, respectively, at the Macao Cultural Plaza, Lda., Seng Kwong Bookstore, Portuguese Bookstore, the Macao Historical Archives, the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre and the Public Information Centre at the Rua do Campo. For enquiries, please call 8399 6699 during office hours.
…

Organised by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and co-organised by Printmaking Research Centre of Macau, the 2nd Macau Printmaking Triennial will be held in November this year. Experienced printmaker James Wong is invited again to co-ordinate this triennial in order to construct an optimal platform for printmakers to converse on. The gold award prize is increased to MOP250,000, while the silver award and bronze award offer purses of MOP80,000 and MOP50,000 respectively, in the hope of encouraging and attracting participation of outstanding works from all over the world. Effective today, the Cultural Affairs Bureau seeks submissions universally, acceptance of which will be from 1st to 30th June. To enhance the development and exchange of printmaking artists, the Cultural Affairs Bureau held the 1st Macao Printmaking Triennial in 2012, which was well received by local and foreign artists. Types and production techniques of printmaking are not restricted for the submission. Works must have been produced within the recent five years and not have been exhibited in previous editions of the Macao Printmaking Triennial. The size of the works on paper must not exceed 1m2, and each individual may submit two works at most. They must be kept flat and well-wrapped for delivery to Art Square, Ground Floor of Handover Gifts Museum. The Organiser will invite a number of renowned printmakers from China and other countries as judges. A shortlist will be announced in July. Rules and regulations as well as application form can be downloaded from the Cultural Affairs Bureau website: www.icm.gov.mo or official website of the Macao Printmaking Triennial: www.triennialmacau.com; alternatively, they are accessible from the Cultural Affairs Bureau Building, Macao Museum of Art, Tap Seac Gallery, all libraries under Macao Central Library, Macau Design Centre, Rui Cunha Foundation Gallery, Art for All Society and Ox Warehouse. For enquiries, please contact Mr. Ieong of the Printmaking Research Centre of Macau on Tel: (853) 2836 7588 during office hours or E-mail: info@prcm.org.mo.
…

The Government would step up efforts in strengthening relations with the people and the press for long-term effective governance and sustainable development, said the Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On. The Government would take measures to provide more on-the-job and professional training to journalists to develop a more favourable working environment in the industry, he said. Speaking at a dinner on 16 March to representatives of local news outlets and correspondents stationed in Macao representing media in the mainland and Hong Kong, Mr Chui said he noted their patriotic spirits and efforts to better serve the people. Their contributions in the implementation of “One country, two systems” helped to build a more harmonious society, he said. With advancing technology in disseminating information and a more prosperous publishing industry, the people have more alternatives in receiving diversified information. Mr Chui re-iterated that the Government had always attached great importance in upholding press freedom.
…

The 26th Macao Arts Festival (MAF) Outreach Programme comprises wonderful activities, totalling over 60 activities including talks, post-show sharing sessions, workshops, children’s corner, community activities and movie screening, allowing participants to explore the different facets of the arts and broaden their horizons. Stimulating lectures on arts administration Following the “Lectures” held during the month of March, the 26th MAF organises, for the first time, “Arts Administration Talks”, inviting as speakers Taiwan WCdance group Artistic Director, Wen-Chung Lin, and the Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association General Manager, Winona Chan, to talk about “Survival Methods for Small Dance Groups and Arts Group Administrative Strategy”. Likewise, Lieven Thyrion, general manager of Belgian modern dance company les ballets C de la B, will share his experience of “Providing Support during the Creative Process”, in order to inspire local arts administrators and those in charge of performing groups to consider the path for their development. Arts accessibility service workshops Workshops in this edition of the Festival feature qualified teachers, and it continues this year to cooperate with the Jockey Club Arts Accessibility Service Centre Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, inviting instructors to host theatrical audio description, theatrical interpretation and accessible captions, as well as offer a training platform and practice opportunities during the MAF shows Starlight Cinema and The Bizarre Fairy Tales, allowing even more visually and hearing impaired people to enjoy artistic performing acts. Additionally, the “Contemporary Theatre Criticism Workshop” features speakers critics and theatre professionals from the region, namely Shih Ming-Huei and Wu Shi-Fong from Taiwan, Lo Ching-man and Chan Kwok Wai from Hong Kong, and Mok Sio Chong from Macao; the workshop is divided into five topics on Macao theatre, dance critique, theatre critique, theatre script and playwright, hoping to lead the students to write their own performance reviews. The “Art Criticism Workshops for secondary school students” will take place in middle schools in order to encourage students to enter performance halls. The “Solo What You Want? and Bal Workshop” counts on choreographer Thomas Lebrun as guest speaker, who will share the joys of dance, and participants can watch and participate in the party following the performance of the Festival’s opening act Lied Ballet; les ballet C de la B host a workshop destined to explore participants’ techniques in dance language; the duo in charge of the comic show Cocorico will also teach participants how to become the kings of comedy. There will be a lot more outreach activities, most of them with free admission and a limited number of seats, available on a first come, first served basis. For more information, please refer to the Macao Arts Festival booklet or the MAF webpage www.icm.gov.mo/fam. Applications can be done by phone, through tel. no. 8399 6699 (during office hours), online at www.icm.gov.mo/eform/event, or by email to outreach@icm.gov.mo.
…

The 26th Macao Arts Festival (MAF), to be held from 1 to 31 May, will present 30 fantastic performances and art exhibitions, totalling over 100 activities, including the festival outreach programme. Themed “Encounter”, the 26th MAF seeks to transcend the boundaries of art and allow different mediums of the arts to converse, thus demonstrating the diversification of art. The Asian premiere of Lied Ballet presented by the Centre chorégraphique national de Tours from France heralds the curtain-up of the MAF; through the body movement of the dancers, audiences are led to appreciate various artistic styles, from Baroque to Modernism. Trust, presented by the Schaubühne am LehninerPlatz is also an Asian premiere; the German dancers take the ‘translated’ text to explore and emphasize physical performance at the closing of the festival. Out of Context – for Pina pays tribute to contemporary dance master Pina Bausch. The Suit, presented by Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord from France, directed by legendary theatre director Peter Brook, showcases the master’s extraordinary denotation of theatrical space. Teatro Praga from Portugal presents OLD AGE, a play that deepens the issue “What is old age all about?”. As ever, while introducing fabulous overseas programmes, the MAF is committed to offer a platform for local art circles to get in touch with new ideas. This edition of the MAF has commissioned WCdance from Taiwan the piece Aerodynamics. Prominent theatre director Tang Shu Wing co-operates with the Macao Youth Repertory Theatre to stage the French classic work Phaedra 2.0-Desires and Lies, transcending the boundaries of language and text. Local plays are equally fascinating: the MAF also commissioned Fateful Decision – winner of the 1st prize in the 10th Macao Literature Competition - Drama Category. The Soda-City Experimental Workshop Arts Association will stage Memory Blueprint II, shifting the setting from a site-specific theatre to a formal theatre. Dóci Papiaçám di Macao’s new play Macao's Got Talent addresses hot social issues. Dream Theatre Association’s production Roberto Zucco and the Dirks Theatre Arts Association’s production Protean Cities are all accomplished performances not to be missed. The art of traditional Kun opera has been passed from generation to generation. The Jiangsu Kun Opera Theatre Performing Arts Group presents 1699 The Peach Blossom Fan and Kun Opera Excerpts, performances that perfectly demonstrate the inheritance of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Macao Kaifong Cantonese Opera Juvenile Troupe and the Macao General Association of Cantonese Opera and Music take to the stage two Cantonese Opera plays, Bound-feet Liu Jinding Crashes Four Gates and Tale of the Pipa, respectively. In addition, the Iao Hon Garden will be converted into an outdoor cinema; Starlight Cinema has selected a number of outstanding films from all over the world. For the first time the Outdoor Performing Arts Showcase will be moved from Iao Hon Garden to Barra Square. The MAF programme includes several children programmes, which allow both adults and children to appreciate art together. Savanna – A Possible Landscape builds dynamic structures with wood to represent wild animals realistically. Local group Black Sand Theatre will present the play Aquarium through which the wonders of the maritime world will be explored. The mime show Cocorico presents humorous comedy from France, Beau Geste Company will present Transports Exceptionnels while Dot by Spanish Maduixa Theatre brings the audience to a wonderful and picturesque space. Macao Orchestra’s concert Music of the Imagination will enliven Children’s Day; the Macao Orchestra will also present Macao Soul, a concert performed at Saint Dominic’s Church. The Macao Chinese Orchestra will stage the Musical “Dreams of Pilgrimage to the West” and the Breakthrough Association multimedia show The Bizarre Fairy Tales embarks upon new musical experiences. A series of exhibitions will be also launched to broaden audiences’ horizons: the Macao Annual Visual Arts Exhibition 2015 – Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Categories; the exhibition At the Risk of Colour – Claude Viallat and Franck Chalendard opens a path for visual arts experience with texts and colours. The Macao Museum presents From Lorient to the Orient – Port Cities of China and France on the 18th Century Maritime Silk Route displays the cultural exchange between China and France on the Maritime Silk Road. The MAF presents a large number of concerts, dance, theatre, Chinese opera and exhibitions to meet every spectator’s taste. The MAF Outreach Programmes includes activities ranging from talks, post-show sharing sessions to workshops which will allow audiences to interact with the hosting groups and crews directly, and understand the ideas behind their productions while enjoying the shows, hence echoing the theme of this edition of the MAF – “Encounter”. Tickets for the 26th MAF are available on the Macau Ticketing Network from 10:00am on 22 March; chits will be distributed at the retail sales offices from 9:00am on the first day of ticket sales. Reservations can be made by phone or online from 12:00. Each individual can purchase a maximum of ten tickets per performance. Purchasers meeting specific criteria will receive a 40% early-bird discount on tickets from 22 to 29 March; 30% discount will be offered on or after 30 March. Purchasers can get a 30% discount on tickets for Lied Ballet or Trust by presenting a BOC Multi-currency Credit Card or BOC card. A 20% discount is also available when presenting BOC Multi-currency Credit Card, BOC Card, Luso International Banking Ltd., BCM, OCBC Wing Hang, Tai Fung Bank or BNU Credit Card. Purchasers who spend more than MOP500 (net amount after discounts) can enjoy the ‘Taste and Art’ dining offer – a 15% discount coupon for the Pastry Bar at MGM Macau; the offer is valid while stock lasts. An ‘Art x Coffee’ Facebook check-in discount is also available for purchasers who complete the relevant procedures in the specified cafés, who will be offered 10% discount in specific types of coffee. The 26th MAF is supported by the Macao Government Tourist Office, TDM, Air Macau and MGM Macau. The Macao Arts Festival website is: www.icm.gov.mo/fam; email: fam@icm.gov.mo. For enquiries, please call (853) 8399 6699 during office hours; 24-hour ticket reservation hotline: (Macao) 2855 5555; (Hong Kong) 2380 5083; (Mainland China) 13 9269 1111; online ticket reservation is available at www.macauticket.com. The 26th MAF’s press conference took place on 16 March, Monday, at 3pm at the MGM Macau The Vista. Present at the press conference were the President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng; the Deputy Director of the Macao Government Tourist Office, Tse Heng Sai; the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leung Hio Ming; the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of MGM China Holdings Limited, Grant Bowie; the Acting Director of the Chinese Programming Division of TDM, Ltd., Lok Kong; the General Manager of Marketing & Sales of Air Macau, Ge Lan; the Head of the Cultural Events Department of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ieong Chi Kin and the Customer Director of Bank of China Macau Branch, Iu In Pen.
…

The University of Macau (UM) today (16 March) kicked off the Career and Internship Fair 2015. As the first of its kind on the new campus and the largest in history, this year’s fair attracted more than 100 companies, offering over 5,000 jobs in more than 20 industries, to over 1,300 graduating UM students. The fair will last until 20 March. According to UM’s latest employment and further studies survey among bachelor’s degree graduates for the 2013/2014 academic year, the three most popular industries for UM graduates are education, entertainment and gaming, and hospitality, with the employment rate reaching 92 per cent and the median monthly income being MOP 14,000. 20 per cent of last year’s UM graduates chose to pursue further studies. Prof Philip Chen, dean of UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology, said in his speech that in addition to pursuing academic excellence, UM also puts an emphasis on providing internship opportunities for students to produce exemplary graduates for Macao and various industries. Elvo Sou, head of the Student Counselling and Development Section of the Student Affairs Office and organiser of the fair, said that this year’s fair is the largest in history, and in addition to providing various employment and internship opportunities, the fair teaches the students how to make career choices and provides an opportunity for them to showcase their talent. He added that UM plans to launch a series of assistance programmes to help students start their own business, so as to keep pace with the evolving needs for economic diversification of Macao’s society. During this period, the exhibiting companies are welcome to provide job interviews for applicants on the spot in order to speed up the employment process. UM will also hold 35 recruitment talks. The fair has attracted many students who would like to know more about the job market. Fourth-year Portuguese major Lucia Luo said that she wants to know more about the companies, and she will apply for a job on the last day of the fair. Third-year economics major David Choi said that the fair can help him make a better career choice in the future.
…

Letter is a long history means of communication and also the most memorable form. In order to promote the significance of letter, Macao Post invited the Associação da Literatura Moderna de Macau to compile the “Selection of Letter Writing of Macao Youth”. From the 1980s onwards, Macao Post has been arranging local students to participate the International letter-writing competition for young people which is organized by the Universal Postal Union. Starting from 1996, Macao Post has been organizing “A letter to Santa Claus” essay writing competition to celebrate the Anniversary of Macao Post and Christmas, from which encourage children to express their thoughts and feelings through letters. Macao Post commissioned the Associação da Literatura Moderna de Macau for carrying out a comprehensive analysis on all the entries of the two above mentioned composition contests. The analysis was jointly conducted and published into the “Selection of Letter Writing of Macao Youth” by three scholars from the association, Prof. Tang Keng Pan, Prof. Sio Chio Ieong and Prof. Tang Chon Chit with a research team composed by postgraduate students. In addition to the selection of these two essay contests’ champion, it also explains the knowledge and practical writing principles of letter writing with examples. This selection brings benefits to the future youth writing. The “Selection of Letter Writing of Macao Youth” will be sold on 23rd March, 2015 at the following post offices: Philatelic Shop at Macao Post Headquarter, Rua do Campo, Terminal, Airport and the Communications Museum. The printing volume of this selection is 500 and the price is MOP100.
…